The Times Herald (Norristown, PA)

Griezmann scores twice as Atletico wins Europa League final

- By Jerome Pugmire

LYON, FRANCE » Striker Antoine Griezmann punished sloppy Marseille with two expertly-taken goals as Atletico Madrid won the Europa League for the third time with a resounding 3-0 victory in Wednesday’s final.

Marseille was going for a second European trophy, 25 years after winning the Champions League, but had no answer to Griezmann’s mobility and finishing. Captain Gabi capped off the victory with a fine finish in the last minute after being set up by Koke.

Several of Marseille’s players were in tears after the final whistle, undone by a player who was turned down by several French clubs when he was a youth because of his diminutive stature.

“This is a reward for me after I left home aged 14, for all the work I have put in, the suffering,” Griezmann said. “There has been joy and sadness, but I am so happy and I hope to be able to live moments like this again.”

Griezmann pounced in the 21st minute, slotting coolly into the bottom left corner after being set up by midfielder Gabi’s firsttime pass. Marseille’s woeful defending contribute­d, as midfielder Zambo Anguissa failed to control a needlessly casual pass out from goalkeeper Steve Mandanda and the loose ball bounced straight to Gabi.

The irrepressi­ble Griezmann started and finished the move for his second, four minutes into the second half.

He athletical­ly won a high ball in midfield and quickly swapped passes with Koke before gliding into the penalty area unchalleng­ed and delicately clipping the ball over the onrushing Mandanda.

He celebrated both goals with an energetic celebrator­y dance from popular video game Fortnite, although he couldn’t do it as well the second time around as he was quickly mobbed by teammates.

Marseille began with urgency, but striker Valere Germain wasted a great chance to taken an early lead when shot over after being played clear through on goal by Dimitri Payet’s slick pass after three minutes. Center half Adil Rami shot just wide moments later as Marseille’s positive start initially upset Atletico’s rhythm in midfield.

The French side’s hopes faded after Payet went off injured in the 31st minute, with what appeared to a recurrence of a thigh injury.

“Payet’s injury obviously hurt us. He’s one of leaders, but we had to make do with it,” Marseille defender Bouna Sarr said. “We conceded against the run of play and couldn’t get back into the game.”

Payet was in tears when he went off, on the eve of France coach Didier Deschamps naming his World Cup squad.

Without Payet pulling the strings, Atletico was untroubled until striker Kostas Mitroglou’s towering header struck the post in the 81st.

Marseille lost its third straight European final after coming up short in the UEFA Cup final — as the tournament was formerly known — in 1999 and 2004.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United States