Atletico rout Racing in semi-final first leg
Reuters - Thursday 04 February 2010, 23:36
MADRID - Diego Forlan scored twice from
the penalty spot to help Atletico Madrid to a 4-0 first-leg
victory at home to Racing Santander in a King's Cup semi-final
on Thursday.
Simao Sabrosa and Jose Antonio Reyes had given the
nine-times cup winners a comfortable 2-0 half-time lead before
Uruguay striker Forlan crowned a convincing win with two spot
kicks in the second half.
On Wednesday, the 2007 winners Sevilla made the most of
home advantage to establish a 2-0 first-leg lead over Getafe.
The return legs are next week.
Atletico, one of La Liga's most inconsistent sides, had
already hit the post at a corner when Portugal winger Simao
lashed home a spectacular volley from a Sergio Aguero cross in
the ninth minute.
Racing had been unbeaten since the turn of the year but had
struggled to create much danger and just before the break they
failed to deal with Simao's low cross allowing Reyes to stroke
home the second.
Simao hit a free-kick against the upright after the
re-start and in the 63rd minute Jurado was brought down for the
first penalty, though television replays showed the foul had
happened outside the area.
Aguero had been tormenting the Racing defence all evening,
and forced another penalty when he was upended as he dribbled
towards goal in the 72nd minute.
Forlan made no mistake from the penalty spot once again,
and Atletico were guilty of some wasteful finishing near the
end.