Soccer-Sorloth hat-trick guides Atletico to 4-0 win at Girona
(Reuters) -Striker Alexander Sorloth came off the bench to score a hat-trick in the second half and help Atletico Madrid wrap up their underwhelming season with an easy 4-0 win at lowly Girona on Sunday.
With Barcelona having secured the title, there was not much to play for at a half-empty Montilivi stadium where two depleted squads squared up in a game that will not live long in the memory.
Atleti manager Diego Simeone decided to leave several key starters on the bench, including goalkeeper Jan Oblak who with 30 goals conceded in 36 games, finished the season with the lowest goals-to-games ratio for the fifth time in his career.
Atletico dominated possession but it took them 68 minutes to break the deadlock through Sorloth's close-range strike after Girona made a bad mistake and Rodrigo De Paul set up the Norwegian to tap the ball into an empty net.
Defender Clement Lenglet headed in a rebound in the 87th minute before Sorloth took advantage of two quick counters to score twice in added time.
In the final weekend of the season, Barca, who host Athletic Bilbao later on Sunday, top the standings with 85 points, one point ahead Real Madrid, with Atletico finishing their LaLiga campaign in third place on 76 points.
Athletic Bilbao and Villarreal complete the top five line-up of teams who will represent Spain in next season's Champions League.
Girona, who last season were the surprise packages of LaLiga, ended 16th in the standings on 41 points, one clear of the relegation spots.
(Reporting by Fernando Kallas, editing by Ed Osmond)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
3 hours ago
- The Sun
Kean to miss Italy qualifers against Norway, Moldova
ITALY will be without Fiorentina striker Moise Kean for their two opening World Cup qualifying matches, away against Norway on Friday and at home against Moldova on Monday, the Italian football federation said. Kean sustained a muscle strain in his right thigh during training on Wednesday, the federation said, adding that he had returned to his club for recovery. The 25-year-old enjoyed the best season of his career in 2024-25 with Fiorentina, a club he joined last summer from Juventus, scoring 19 goals to finish second in the Serie A goal scorers' standings. Italy coach Luciano Spalletti will also be without a pair of defenders, Alessandro Buongiorno missing the Norway match through injury while Francesco Acerbi, who was in the Inter Milan side that lost the Champions League final, declined a call-up. Italy, who failed to qualify for the last two World Cups, face a tricky start against Erling Haaland's Norway on Friday before hosting Moldova three days later in Reggio Emilia. Norway lead Group I after winning their two opening matches against Israel and Moldova in March.
The Star
5 hours ago
- The Star
Athletics-Ingebrigtsen postpones track return due to injury
FILE PHOTO: Paris 2024 Olympics - Athletics - Men's 5000m Final - Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France - August 10, 2024. Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway celebrates after winning gold. REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo (Reuters) -Norwegian Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen has delayed his return to the track following an Achilles injury, and will not compete at the Ostrava Golden Spike meet, event organisers said on Thursday. Ingebrigtsen has been forced out of the meet in the Czech Republic on June 24 and will miss the Oslo Bislett Games on June 12, where the 24-year-old has won the 1,500 metres in the last two years. "I recently suffered a minor injury and haven't been able to train properly in recent weeks," Ingebrigtsen said in a statement on the race event website. "My condition is improving, but I need to postpone my return to racing and will be back on the track later this year." Ingebrigtsen, twice Olympic champion, has been a key figure in a trial involving his father, Gjert Ingebrigtsen, after Norwegian police pressed charges last year accusing him of abusing two of his seven children, including Jakob. (Reporting by Trevor Stynes, editing by Ed Osmond)
The Sun
6 hours ago
- The Sun
Oppo elevates the celebration of football with tech, culture, and legends
As the Uefa Champions League season came to a spectacular close at Munich Football Arena, where the excitement on the pitch was matched by a vibrant celebration of football culture, youth development, and cutting-edge fan experiences hosted around the final. As part of the festivities, Oppo, the official smartphone product partner of the Champions League, hosted a series of events that brought fans closer to the game through interactive technology, cultural exhibitions, and appearances from football legends. The Champions Village outside the stadium offered supporters a unique blend of Champions League history and immersive digital experiences, including opportunities for fans to engage with lifelike virtual avatars and capture personalized moments that celebrated their love for the sport. Football icons were front and center throughout the weekend. Inter Milan's Marco Materazzi made a surprise appearance to meet fans, while Brazilian greats Kaka and Cafu led charity training clinics for young footballers from Brazil, offering once-in-a-lifetime coaching and inspiration. The program also featured an exclusive 5 vs 5 match that included former England international Micah Richards, showcasing rising talent and celebrating the next generation of footballers. In a standout cultural highlight, a friendly game of Cuju – an ancient Chinese sport and one of football's early ancestors – was played between Uefa legends and young Chinese women players, symbolizing football's timeless appeal and its ability to connect across generations and geographies. With Oppo hosting the event activations, the Champions League final weekend became more than just a title decider – it evolved into a global celebration of football's spirit, its heroes, and its future.
