Atletico Madrid striker Alexander Sorloth stole the show with a hat trick as the Spanish side overpowered Belgium’s Club Brugge 4-1 on Tuesday, securing a 7-4 aggregate win to reach the Champions League last 16.
Johnny Cardoso added a goal for Atletico, while Joel Ordonez pulled one back for Brugge in the 36th minute.
Despite Brugge’s early attacking intent and high press, with Hugo Vetlesen twice denied in the opening stages, Atletico struck first and never looked back, turning last week’s 3-3 first-leg draw into a commanding victory.
Atletico’s quality shone through in a dominant second half as they prepare for Friday’s round-of-16 draw, where they will learn whether they face Liverpool or Tottenham Hotspur.
Sorloth opened the scoring in the 23rd minute, sending a shot under Brugge veteran goalkeeper Simon Mignolet after cleverly holding up a long clearance from home goalkeeper Jan Oblak.
The Norwegian striker took a couple of touches before firing a left-footed effort that Mignolet allowed to slip under his body.
Brugge responded with a deserved equalizer from a set piece.
Brandon Mechele flicked on Christos Tzolis's corner from the left, leaving Ordonez with a simple close-range header. Soon after, Oblak made a superb one-handed save on the line to deny Vetlesen.
While Brugge were competitive in the first half, they faded after the break.
Atletico regained the lead two minutes into the second half when Cardoso struck from the edge of the penalty box. Mechele cleared Giuliano Simeone’s cross from the left, but the header fell to Cardoso, who controlled it with his chest and finished with his right foot.
Sorloth doubled the lead in the 76th minute, side-footing home after passes between substitutes Ademola Lookman and Antoine Griezmann set him up for an easy finish.
The Norway international completed his hat trick in the 87th minute, converting Matteo Ruggeri's cross at the back post with another side-footed finish, cementing Atletico’s second-half dominance.
