La Liga: Atletico Madrid thrash Cadiz 4-1: Atletico Madrid turned around a poor first-half performance to score four goals after the break and earn a 4-1 win at Cadiz on Sunday that put them second in the La Liga standings.
Thomas Lemar, Antoine Griezmann, Angel Correa and Matheus Cunha were all on target as Atletico won when scoring four or more for the first time in all competitions this season.
Cadiz scored their only goal to make it 3-1 late in the second half, following a shocking mistake from goalkeeper Jan Oblak. They are still winless at home this season.
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La Liga: Atletico Madrid thraAsh Cadiz 4-1, jump to second in standings
Atletico have 29 points from 14 games, one point behind leaders Real Madrid and one ahead of Sevilla, who play against each other later on Sunday.
Atletico are level on points with former leaders Real Sociedad, who lost their first league game in more then three months on Sunday against Espanyol (1-0).
“We needed a win like this to build up momentum, to boost our confidence,” Lemar told reporters. “We know we have a great team and we wanted to show the fans what we are capable of.”
La Liga: Atletico Madrid thrash Cadiz 4-1, jump to second in standings
Atletico were flat in the first half, failing to hit a single shot.
Coach Diego Simeone started with the same team that lost 1-0 in midweek at home against AC Milan in the Champions League and at one stage it looked like a similar disappointment could be on the cards.
Cadiz had two chances to open the scoring, but both were deflected behind for corners.
These scares seemingly jolted Atletico into life and they came back revitalised after the break.
The visitors created four opportunities in the first six minutes of the second half and scored their first goal in the 56th as Lemar headed in a perfect Carrasco cross.
La Liga: Atletico Madrid thrash Cadiz 4-1, jump to second in standings
Four minutes later, Griezmann scored their second, volleying home from the penalty spot a cross from Marcos Llorente.
Correa netted the third after a beautiful move also involving Rodrigo de Paul and substitute Cunha.
Oblak punched the ball into his own goal as Cadiz reduced the deficit but Cunha sealed the deal in the very next move, finishing a lightning counter-attack.