![](\"\/\/im.rediff.com\/sports\/2023\/sep\/25madrid2.jpg?w=670&h=900\")
<\/p>\nAlvaro Morata scored a brace to help Atletico Madrid deliver a statement performance as they outclassed city rivals Real Madrid in a 3-1 derby win in LaLiga on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Morata opened the scoring in the fourth minute in a sold-out Metropolitano stadium with a towering header from a Samuel Lino cross and Antoine Griezmann extended Atletico’s lead with another header in the 18th minute, from a Saul Niguez cross.<\/p>\n
Real’s Toni Kroos struck home from the edge of the box in the 35th minute but Morata headed Atletico’s third goal in the first minute of the second half, from another cross by Saul.<\/p>\n
With one game in hand, Atletico moved up to fifth place in the LaLiga standings on 10 points, while Real Madrid, who entered the weekend as leaders, are now third on 15 points, one behind Barcelona and Girona.<\/p>\n
Diego Simeone’s Atletico dominated proceedings for most of the match and spent the final minutes of the game passing the ball sideways to each other as their delirious fans chanted “Ole, ole, ole” in a thunderous show of support.<\/p>\n
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After Morata had scored the opener, his team mate Jose Maria Gimenez wasted a golden opportunity in the 10th minute, missing a close-range header from a corner kick sent in by Griezmann, who himself headed in the second goal eight minutes later.<\/p>\n
Midfielder Eduardo Camavinga had Real’s first chance in the 30th minute, with a curling shot from range that was deflected to a corner.<\/p>\n
Goalkeeper Jan Oblak denied a Federico Valverde first-touch strike from the corner and started off a quick counter-attack that almost ended with Atletico’s third, with goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga making a brilliant one-handed save of a Saul strike.<\/p>\n
Real’s Kroos then made it 2-1 before Camavinga had a goal ruled out just before the break for offside in the build-up.<\/p>\n
Real struggled to create any more chances after Morata’s second goal in the opening moments of the second half.<\/p>\n
“Very happy for all these people that came here today and delivered this amazing support”, Morata told DAZN.<\/p>\n
“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.”<\/p>\n
Kolo Muani, Ramos score as PSG down Marseille<\/strong><\/p>\n Randal Kolo Muani and Goncalo Ramos scored their first goals for Paris St Germain as the French champions crushed bitter rivals Olympique de Marseille 4-0 in Ligue 1 on Sunday.<\/p>\n Kolo Muani and Ramos, with a brace, added to Achraf Hakimi’s early opener to lift PSG up to third in the standings with 11 points from six games, two behind surprise leaders Stade Brestois.<\/p>\n It was not all good news for the hosts at the Parc des Princes, however, as Kylian Mbappe limped off the pitch with a possible ankle injury in the first half.<\/p>\n “It was a perfect game. We’re getting close to having what we want, players always connected, defending and attacking together,” coach Luis Enrique told a press conference.<\/p>\n Marseille, who have had a rough week off the field amid a feud with their fans, are seventh on nine points.<\/p>\n The Provence side parted company with coach Marcelino and hit out at their fans’ representatives during the week after they allegedly threatened the club’s management and pressured them to resign.<\/p>\n President Pablo Longoria vowed to stay on, saying he had received “unconditional support” from the club’s owner Frank McCourt.<\/p>\n With interim coach Jacques Abardonado on the bench — or, more precisely, gesticulating and screaming from the touchline — OM were unable to respond to PSG’s ‘Tiki Taka’, the ultra possessive strategy Enrique has been looking to impose on a team who have long struggled to find a playing style.<\/p>\n PSG were rewarded after eight minutes when Hakimi fired a free kick into the top corner after Mbappe had been fouled at the edge of the box.<\/p>\n The France forward was replaced by Marcelo Ramos on 32 minutes with an ankle injury.<\/p>\n “We tried to strap it again but it was still hurting, so we decided not to risk anything. I don’t think it’s serious he should be back soon,” said Enrique.<\/p>\n Bradley Barcola tormented the Marseille defence on the left flank, threatening multiple times with his silky dribbling.<\/p>\n The visitors, however, came close in the 23rd minute as Vitinha’s header shaved the crossbar.<\/p>\n But PSG were far more clinical.<\/p>\n In the 40th minute, Hakimi’s brutal strike crashed on to the post and was deflected by keeper Pau Lopez’s back into the path of Kolo Muani, who only had to tap in for his first goal with PSG.<\/p>\n Vitinha and Azzedine Ounahi were substituted at halftime by Ilian Ndiaye and Amine Harit, respectively, but it was PSG who made the fastest start as Ramos headed home from Ousmane Dembele’s cross on 47 minutes.<\/p>\n The night ended with PSG fans in the Boulogne kop celebrating with homophobic chants, and a big part of the crowd clapping along.<\/p>\n “I’m sorry but I don’t understand if the chants are nice or mean,” Enrique said.<\/p>\n The chants briefly stopped when Ramos scored the fourth goal after being set up by Kolo Muani at the end of a sharp counter-attack.<\/p>\n Earlier, last year’s runners-up RC Lens claimed their first win of the season when they beat Toulouse 2-1 at home thanks to a Morgan Guilavogui late goal, capping a fine week after a 1-1 away draw at Sevilla in the Champions League.<\/p>\n![](\"\/\/im.rediff.com\/sports\/2023\/sep\/25psg1.jpg?w=670&h=900\")
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