How Did Atletico Madrid Dominate Betis to Secure a Copa del Rey Semifinal Spot?
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Key Takeaways
Madrid, Feb 6 (NationPress) Atletico Madrid put in a dominant display to secure their place in the semifinals of Spain's Copa del Rey with a stunning 5-0 victory over Real Betis.
Betis posed an early threat with a chance from Ez Abde, but Atletico quickly took command and controlled the first half. David Hancko opened the scoring with a header from a Koke corner, setting the tone for the match.
New recruit Ademola Lookman was active from the beginning, although he squandered one opportunity when he was sent through on goal and later shot over after Hancko's assist, as Atletico stifled Betis’s attempts to gain possession and space, according to reports from Xinhua.
Giuliano Simeone increased the lead in the 30th minute, receiving a pass from Matteo Ruggeri, and Lookman made it 3-0 before halftime, skillfully maneuvering past two defenders from the left and finishing calmly past goalkeeper Adrian.
Atletico faced an early challenge in the second half when Pablo Barrios had to be substituted due to a hamstring injury, replaced by Jose Gimenez, raising concerns ahead of their upcoming Champions League playoff against Club Brugge.
However, the injury did not disrupt Atletico's flow. Antoine Griezmann scored the fourth goal in the 62nd minute, capping off a counterattack initiated by Lookman, and Thiago Almada rounded off the scoring late in the match, converting a rebound after Adrian had saved Griezmann's initial shot.
The two teams will meet again on Sunday at Atletico's Metropolitano Stadium in La Liga.
Earlier in the week, Barcelona advanced to the semifinals with a 2-1 victory over Albacete, while Athletic Club triumphed over Valencia 2-1 and Real Sociedad edged past Alaves 3-2.
The draw for the two-legged semifinal matches will take place on Friday, with the first legs scheduled for next week and the return matches in the opening week of March. The final is set for April 18.