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Atletico Madrid 2 Borussia Dortmund 0: Saul & Griezmann get Simeone back on track
Saul Niguez and Antoine Griezmann scored as Atletico Madrid saw off Champions League Group A rivals Borussia Dortmund 2-0.
Atletico Madrid returned to form in Champions League Group A as goals from Saul Niguez and Antoine Griezman earned a 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund.
Dortmund's 4-0 rout on matchday three condemned Diego Simeone to the heaviest defeat of his Atleti tenure, but Los Rojiblancos got back on track in style at Wanda Metropolitano.
Saul's goal after the half hour – a crisp finish at the culmination of a slick team move – opened the scoring, and despite a string of superb saves from Roman Burki, Griezmann wrapped up the points with 10 minutes remaining.
Things might have been different had Raphael Guerreiro kept a close-range header on target, but Atleti were well worthy of a win that lifts them level on points with Dortmund at the top of Group A.
Despite a glut of Atleti pressure, Burki remained relatively untested until Saul broke the deadlock in the 33rd minute.
After winning possession in Dortmund's half, Saul exchanged passes with Filipe Luis before sending a first-time effort goalwards – Manuel Akanji failing to keep the ball out on the line.
Dortmund were fortunate not to be further behind in the next 10 minutes, Filipe Luis and Griezmann finding Burki in top form, while Lukasz Piszczek's last-ditch tackle denied Saul a second.
Juanfran's pinpoint pass into Angel Correa looked to have set up a certain goal on the hour, but Burki's crucial touch turned the ball wide.
Guerreiro's introduction added balance to Dortmund's attack, and the substitute spurned the visitors' only true chance, heading over from Paco Alcacer's cross.
Griezmann showed no such profligacy at the other end, however, racing clear of his marker and keeping his cool to slot past Burki and make sure of a win that puts Atleti on the verge of progressing into the knockout stages.