Atletico de Madrid 4 : 0 Sevilla - Athletico fire four past Sevilla

Posted Sunday, November 25, 2012 by PA

Atletico Madrid stretched their 100% record at the Vicente Calderon this season to 10 games with a comprehensive 4-0 victory over nine-man Sevilla.

The game was almost over as a contest after just 20 minutes when Koke was brought down by Federico Fazio inside the area and - after the Italian defender had seen a red card for a professional foul - Radamel Falcao hammered home his 14th goal of the season from the penalty spot.

Two goals in four minutes just before half-time sealed the points for Atleti as Emir Spahic turned Arda Turan's cross into his own net before Koke capped a fine individual display with a stunning volleyed finish from Diego Costa's lobbed pass.

And Sevilla's miserable night was rounded off when Ivan Rakitic received a second yellow card for hacking down Tiago, leaving Miranda to tap home a fourth goal in stoppage time.

With Real Madrid losing to Real Betis on Saturday night, Atleti knew they could stretch their advantage over their city rivals to eight points ahead of next weekend's Madrid derby.

After a scrappy opening, the hosts were given the perfect opportunity to take a stranglehold on the game when, seconds after Falcao had a penalty appeal of his own turned down, Fazio was adjudged to have denied Koke a clear goalscoring opportunity and was duly given his marching orders.

The Colombian has been deadly from the spot this season and he converted his fifth penalty of the campaign with a fierce strike down the middle of Andres Palop's goal.

Spahic then nearly turned into his own net after Palop had flapped at a corner, but the Bosnian's luck ran out five minutes before half-time as he desperately tried to intercept Arda's ball across the six-yard box, only succeeding in turning it past the helpless Palop.

By this stage Atleti were playing some wonderful free-flowing football and they scored a brilliant third goal moments later as Costa showed great skill to evade two defenders down the left, with his inventive cross smashed home by Koke as he arrived late into the box.

Palop denied Falcao a fourth with a smart save and Costa also came close to rounding off his night with a goal but the visitors were depleted even further when Rakitic took a frustrated swipe at Tiago to stupidly receive a second yellow card seven minutes from time.

And Atleti finally got the fourth in stoppage time as Palop spilled Filipe Luis' effort, with Arda on hand to square the rebound for Miranda to tap home.

The win moves Atleti level on points at the top alongside Barcelona with the Catalans playing Levante later on Sunday evening.