Atletico crush Marseille 3-0, win their third Europa League title

IANS  |  Lyon 

outfit Atletico Madrid proved their formidable firepower in Europa League, beating side 3-0 in the final here on Wednesday.

Antoine Griezmann, whose hometown Macon is not far from Lyon, scored in each half of the match, before Gabi's late low shot made it beyond any speculation.

Atletico, who made their fifth appearance in the final of European tournaments in the past nine years, were crowned in in 2010 and 2012, while anticipated for another European title after winning back in 1993.

pressed high from the start, and almost broke the deadlock just on four minutes on their "home" pitch. Skipper Dimitri Payet's clinical pass on a counter-attack found Valere Germain, whose shot went beyond the cross-bar.

However, the attack-minded French team had to pay for their own error. 33-year-old suffered poor communication with full back when he cleared the ball in the 21st minute.

Griezmann didn't waste the glorious chance to finish a side-foot after being teed up by who intercepted the ball.

Added to their inferior position, Marseille lost Payet who was injured and had to leave the pitch in tears in the 32nd minute.

Griezmann continued his in-form play after the interval. After a clever one-two in midfield, the Frenchman was released on the right by Koke to casually lift his left-footed shot over the outgoing in the 49th minute.

Marseille had two attempts to half their deficit with less than two minutes from time. Second-half substitute Kostas Mitroglou rose highest to head a right-wing cross from Morgan Sanson, but the ball went onto Oblak's right-hand post. That arrived before left-back Jordan Amavi's powerful shot outside the box was saved by

Gabi's goal on the counter-attack in the 89th minute capped off Atletico's convincing victory of the night.

Former Spanish "Golden Boy" came off the bench for Griezmann late in the match, and ended story with his boyhood club with a European champion. He lifted up the trophy alongside on the award ceremony.

--IANS

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First Published: Thu, May 17 2018. 07:28 IST