Atletico through to last 16 with Rostov win

Atletico through to last 16 with Rostov win

 

A 2-1 win over Rostov on Tuesday evening was enough to secure Atletico Madrid's passage to the knockout rounds of the 2016/17 Champions League.

It required a stoppage time Antoine Griezmann winner, a goal that was slightly controversial as there was confusion as to whether or not it had been awarded, but it - correctly - stood.

Griezmann had also been the man to open the evening's scoring, before a Serdar Azmoun equaliser, but the No. 7's second of the evening allowed Los Rojiblancos to maintain their 100% record.

Right from the off, Atletico asserted their dominance, but couldn't craft any chances in the first ten minutes despite their probing.

Then in the 11th minute, Fernando Torres was a whisker away from connecting with a ball into the box, before Yannick Carrasco saw a shot blocked inside the area.

Just before the half hour mark Los Colchoneros finally took a well-earned lead, with Griezmann ending his four match goal drought.

Madrid-born Cesar Navas - who came through Real Madrid's youth system - tried to cut out a Carrasco cross, but instead diverted the ball into the Frenchman's path and he acrobatically flicked it in.

Yet the lead would last just two minutes as Rostov suckerpunched the hosts when Azmoun burst through a space in the back line and slotted home, much to the delight of the small - but vocal - Russian support.

Atletico pushed to retake the lead, but time and again saw their shots blocked and it reminded level at the break.

After a flurry of shots just after the restart, Los Rojiblancos then struggled to create anything concrete.

Torres, Koke and Griezmann all hit tame efforts at goal, but none of them caused any trouble.

Then, deep into stoppage time, Griezmann pounced on a Diego Godin flick to send the home crowd wild with delight.

Atletico, therefore, are now guaranteed to see their name drawn in next month's last 16 draw in Nyon.

They are still battling to secure top spot ahead of Bayern Munich - who won 2-1 on Tuesday.

Those two continental giants go head to head in the final matchday of the group stages, with PSV Eindhoven first visiting the Vicente Calderon on November 23.