Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone begins his Chamions League
dream as a coach on a brighter note with Goals from Miranda, Arda Turan and Leo
Baptistao handed Atletico Madrid a 3-1 victory against Zenit St Petersburg.
With Diego Costa out
through suspension, Diego Simeone handed Adrian Lopez a start up front, playing
alongside summer signing David Villa.
it was the capital
club who got off to the brighter of the starts, with Arda Turan forcing Yuri
Lodygin into a good save within the first five minutes.
The game was being
played at a frantic pace, with neither side getting a lot of space in midfield
to create chances. Hulk tried to force some room for himself 35 yards from
goal, but his effort was wild and blazed well over the bar.
Both teams were
struggling to find that first gilt-edge chance of the game, but it came towards
the end of the half when Koke stabbed an effort from the edge of the area.
Unfortunately for the Rojiblancos, the shot trickled wide of the post.
The first goal did
eventually come though on 40 minutes, as Koke’s corner found Miranda, who
headed in from close range.
After the break, the
hosts looked happy to defend their lead, letting Lucino Spalletti’s side have
the ball for long periods. And they eventually
paid for that on 58 minutes when Hulk broke with the ball, before ignoring
options to pass and firing past Thibaut Courtois.
It wasn’t long however
before the Vicente Calderon team were back in front. Koke’s floated free kick
wasn’t cleared probably by the Zenit defender, and Arda Turan as on hand to
bundle into the back of the net.
Things got even better
for Simeone’s side though late on, as Leo Baptistao came off the bench for his
Champions League debut and scored with almost his first touch.
Scorers: Miranda 40 (AM), Arda
Turan 64 (AM), Leo Baptistao 80 (AM); Hulk 58 (Z)
Atletico Madrid: Courtois; Juanfran, Miranda, Godín, Filipe; Mario Suárez, Gabi;
Koke, Arda (Raul Garcia 87); Adrián (Leo Baptistao 79), Villa
Zenit: Lodygin; Ansaldi, Lombaerts, Luis Neto (Shatov 45), Hubocan,
Smolnikov, Zyryanov (Arshavin 75), Witsel, Hulk (Bystrov 85), Danny, Kerzhakov.
