Kevin Gameiro and Antoine Griezmann got on the scoresheet as Atletico Madrid beat PSV 2-0 to finish top of Group D and reach the Champions League last 16.
Diego Simeone looked to freshen things up after Atleti’s heavy home defeat in the weekend’s Derbi, with Sime Vrsajlko, Jose Gimenez, Tiago Mendes and Kevin Gameiro all coming into the side.
The alternations looked to have made their desired effects early doors as Gameiro dragged Yannick Carrasco’s cross inches wide, before Diego Godin’s free header from a Gabi free-kick went straight at Jeroen Zoet.
The PSV goalkeeper was then on hand to keep out Carrasco’s shot after the winger cut inside, before Jan Oblak was equally as alert to deny Gaston Pereiro one-on-one, a scenario which Gameiro soon found himself in, only to be thwarted by a last-ditch tackle from Nicolas Isimat-Mirin.
PSV ended the first half the stronger team, Davy Propper curling an effort past the post, but that all changed with the restart as Gameiro came a toe away from turning in Gimenez’s header at Zoet’s far post.
It was only a matter of time before Gameiro grabbed his first Champions League goal in Atleti colours, the striker darting onto Antoine Griezmann’s through ball and angling a finish across Zoet.
‘Ole ole ole, Cholo Simeone’ began to ring around the Vicente Calderon as the evergreen Tiago helped himself to a deserved assist, sliding in Griezmann so the Frenchman could score from close range to become Los Colchoneros’ joint-top scorer in European Cup/Champions League history.
Gameiro then came a whisker away from a second goal as his header on the end of a corner deflected onto the crossbar via a deflection.
Atletico Madrid 2-0 PSV
Gameiro 55, Griezmann 66
Atletico Madrid: Oblak; Vrsaljko, Godin, Gimenez, Filipe (Juanfran 76); Gabi, Tiago (Saul 75), Koke, Carrasco; Griezmann, Gameiro
PSV: Zoet; Arias, Isimat, Moreno, Willems (De Vijs 46); Schwaab, Zinchenko; Pereiro, Propper (Lundqvist 84), Ramselaar; Bergwijn (Narsingh 61)
Referee: Kulbakov (BEL)
