Alexander Sørloth scored a hat trick as Atlético Madrid secured their place in the last 16 of the Champions League with a 4-1 second-leg playoff win against Club Brugge.
With the tie evenly poised at 3-3 following an explosive first rubber in Belgium, Diego Simeone’s side opened the scoring at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano through Sørloth after 23 minutes.
The Norway striker raced on to Jan Oblak’s long kick downfield and after holding off Brandon Mechele, he managed to get a fierce left-footed shot away which squirmed underneath Simon Mignolet in the visitors’ goal.
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Mignolet should have done better, and Atleti would have been keen to build on their advantage.
However, Brugge were back in the contest just 13 minutes later when Joel Ordóñez headed home from a corner to level the playoff at four goals apiece.
But the Spanish team were back ahead inside three minutes of the second half after United States midfielder Johnny Cardoso picked up the ball on the edge of the penalty area and lashed home a brilliant half-volley.
Brugge went in search of an equaliser, but Sørloth netted his second with 14 minutes to go when he scored from close range following a neat interchange between substitutes Ademola Lookman and Antoine Griezmann.
The impressive Sørloth then completed his treble in the 87th minute with his 15th goal of the season as Atleti finalised a 7-4 aggregate triumph. They will next play Liverpool or Tottenham for a place in the quarter-finals.
