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Tuesday 16 September 2008

PSV Eindhoven 0 - 3 Atlético Madrid

EINDHOVEN, September 15 (Champions League) - A Sergio Aguero brace helped Atletico Madrid hit the ground running as a terrific performance from the Argentina midfielder saw his side rip apart PSV Eindhoven in their Champions League opener.

Aguero gave the Spanish team the best possible start in the ninth minute and doubled his tally towards the end of the first half before Nuno Maniche killed the game off nine minutes after the break. The only bad news for the Spanish team came on the half-hour mark when Diego Forlan limped off with a hamstring injury.

Atletico were quick out of the blocks and immediately tested Andreas Isaksson as, with less than a minute on the clock, the PSV keeper reacted well to keep out Aguero's effort from just outside the area. But the Argentina striker did open the scoring shortly after.

Maniche was tripped on the edge of the area and, as the referee played the advantage, the ball fell to Luis Garcia who fizzed a low cross into the six-yard box for an easy tap-in for Aguero.

The visitors almost doubled their lead seconds later as the ever-dangerous Aguero released Simao Sabrosa who unleashed a fierce 25-yard thunderbolt which Isaksson did well to save. PSV began to get into the match but could not create any clear cut opportunities and they almost fell further behind in the 24th minute.

Aguero did well to steal the ball off the PSV defender and keep it as he was hustled ever closer to the far corner of the penalty box before putting in a great cross which Forlan flung himself at, but Carlos Salcido just managed to hook it away in time. PSV had their best chance of the half in the 35th minute when Danny Koevermans raced onto the ball but Leo Franco was quick to rush out of his area and snatch it off the feet of the PSV attacker. And the hosts were left to rue that missed opportunity as Atletico doubled their lead seconds later.

Florent Sinama Pongolle, who had come on for Forlan minutes earlier, raced down the left flank before putting a cross into the centre of the box where Aguero did excellently to execute a tight turn before smashing it past Isaksson and into the far corner for his fifth goal in four matches. PSV came out after the break determined to get back into the game and almost did so four minutes after the restart when Franco had to make his first real save of the night as Edison Mendez unleashed a 25-yard thunderbolt.

Franco was tested again three minutes later by Ibrahim Afellay in roughly the same position but it was again fairly easy for the Argentine to push the effort away. Things went from bad to worse for PSV when they found themselves further behind a minute later.

A clever Atletico move was beautifully finished off when Luis Garcia picked out Maniche, who had made a lovely run into the box, and the Portugal midfielder slotted the ball across Isaksson and into the back of the net from close range. PSV did not let their heads drop and continued to press, enjoying better chances once both goalscorers had been substituted shortly after the hour mark.

They could have perhaps been in with a chance of getting something from the game had Koevermans not headed inches wide from close-range when he should have done better and Afellay's free-kick not brushed the outside of the right upright seconds later.

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