Alvaro Morata leads Atletico Madrid to convincing 3-1 derby victory ...

NEW DELHI: Atletico Madrid showcased their dominance with a resounding 3-1 victory over city rivals Real Madrid, thanks to a standout performance by

Alvaro Morata

.
The electrifying match at a packed Metropolitano stadium began with a bang as Morata opened the scoring in the fourth minute. He soared high to connect with a precise Samuel Lino cross, delivering a commanding header that sent Atletico Madrid into an early lead.
Not content with their advantage, Atletico continued to apply pressure, and

Antoine Griezmann

extended their lead with another headed goal in the 18th minute. Saul Niguez delivered a pinpoint cross, and Griezmann capitalized on the opportunity, leaving Real Madrid trailing by two goals.
Real Madrid found a lifeline when Toni Kroos unleashed a powerful strike from the edge of the box in the 35th minute, reducing the deficit.

However, Atletico Madrid remained relentless. Morata secured his brace in the very first minute of the second half, heading home another precise cross by Saul. This goal reasserted Atletico's dominance and further demoralized Real Madrid.
With a game in hand, Atletico Madrid surged to fifth place in the

LaLiga

standings, accumulating 10 points. Real Madrid, previously at the top of the table, slipped to third place with 15 points, trailing Barcelona and Girona by one point.

Throughout the match, Atletico Madrid, led by Diego Simeone, maintained control. In the closing moments, they confidently passed the ball among themselves while their jubilant fans chanted "Ole, ole, ole" in a deafening display of support.
In addition to Morata's early opener, Atletico's Jose Maria Gimenez squandered a golden opportunity in the 10th minute, missing a close-range header from a corner delivered by Griezmann, who went on to score the second goal with a well-timed header.
Real Madrid's midfielder, Eduardo Camavinga, attempted to ignite his team's offence with a curling shot from long range in the 30th minute, which resulted in a corner. Goalkeeper Jan Oblak thwarted a Federico Valverde strike from the ensuing corner, initiating a swift counter-attack that nearly led to Atletico's third goal, only to be denied by an exceptional one-handed save from Real Madrid's Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Despite Kroos's goal that brought Real Madrid back into contention, Camavinga's effort was ruled out just before halftime for offside in the build-up.
Real Madrid struggled to generate more scoring opportunities following Morata's second goal at the start of the second half.

Morata, who played a pivotal role in Atletico's victory, expressed his gratitude to the passionate fans in attendance, saying, "Very happy for all these people that came here today and delivered this amazing support. I said the other day, the fans were going to play the most important role. That's how it has been. It's been an incredible atmosphere."
(With Reuters inputs)