Live Commentary: Atletico Madrid 2-0 Sporting Lisbon - as it happened

Atletico Madrid are on course to reach the last four of the Europa League after a comfortable 2-0 win over Sporting Lisbon.

Koke opened the scoring after 22 seconds and Antoine Griezmann doubled Atleti's lead before half time.

However, Fredy Montero almost scored an away goal in stoppage time for the Portuguese giants.

Relive all the action with Sports Mole's live text commentary.

10:00pmWell, it could have been a bigger margin and was nearly a smaller one, but Atleti are safely in control and will head to Lisbon knowing they are potentially 90 minutes from the semis. Thank you for joining Sports Mole and good night!

90+3 minFULL TIME: Atletico Madrid 2-0 Sporting Lisbon

90+2 minCHANCE! What a chance for Sporting to nick an away goal as Oblak pushes Ruiz's effort into the path of Montero, who blazes over.

90 minThree minutes of added time at the Metropolitano.

89 minATLETICO SUB: Another change as Griezmann departs with Vitolo on in his place.

87 minATLETICO SUB: The hosts also make a late change with Thomas on for Costa.

87 minSPORTING SUB: Montero will make a late cameo in place of Fernandes.

85 minGriezmann tries to add to his tally with a long-range effort, which is straight at Patricio.

83 minSporting are heading towards a fourth defeat in five games and will be without at least two of their first choice players for the second-leg. Their hopes are diminishing fast.

81 minYELLOW CARD: Now Koke enters the book for a cynical trip on Ribeiro. He's the sixth player in the book.

80 minFOUL! The visitors really have lost their way as Battaglia commits another foul on Gameiro.

78 minFOUL! Another foul by Coentrao, this time on Koke. He needs to be careful for the remaining minutes.

76 minAtleti are now over 800 minutes without conceding at home. It is easy to see why they are the favourites for the tournament.

74 minJorge Jesus is screaming for a free kick for Hernandez's challenge on Martins, but he won't get the decision. A frustrating night for the veteran manager.

72 minYELLOW CARD: Another shocking tackle as Dost clatters into Hernandez. Probably not bad enough to be a red, but will be suspended for the second-leg in any case.

69 minDespite shading possession for much of the game, Sporting have only registered one shot on target so far. If they are to turn this tie around, they will need to test Oblak more.

67 minCHANCE! Costa goes close again after latching onto Koke's cross and heading over the bar.

65 minCoates isn't having a great night, is he? He tries to pull one back at the other end and the ball merely bounces off the Uruguayan. A comfortable save for Oblak.

63 minYELLOW CARD: The latest in the book is Savic after clattering Martins.

61 minOFFSIDE! Gameiro slides the ball into the net, but was easily offside.

59 minFOUL! Another poor challenge as Koke is brought down by Battaglia. I wonder if Sporting are losing their way here!

57 minYELLOW CARD: Another booking for Sporting and this time Piccini trips Costa.

56 minYELLOW CARD: Coentrao completely scythes down Griezmann and the gestures as if he is the innocent party. The defender will miss the return leg.

55 minSporting earn a rare corner, but Acuna's corner comes to nothing. Against a team with such defensive prowess, you feel that every opportunity is crucial.

53 minATLETICO SUB: The home team's first change as Gameiro replaces Correa. I think Simeone fancies finishing the tie tonight.

53 minAt the other end, Coentrao wastes a good opportunity to pull a goal back and should have worked Oblak, but the former Monaco player's effort was relatively tame.

51 minAnother Coates error! This time Costa is shooting from a narrow angle and can't test the Sporting stopper.

49 minCHANCE! Costa really should have put the tie beyond Sporting's reach as another Coates error leaves the former Chelsea star one-on-one with Patricio, but the striker should have scored.

47 minImmediately, the hosts are looking to take control of possession. One more goal will possibly end the Liga Nos side's hopes of progression.

46 minJust the one change made before the interval by Sporting. Otherwise it's as we were at the start.

45 minWe're back underway at the Wanda Metropolitano.

9:05pmAs we wait for the players to return to the field, Atletico are 45 minutes away from a ninth successive home clean sheet. Can they keep out the Liga Nos side? All will be revealed!

9:04pmElsewhere in Europe, Arsenal are 4-1 to the good against CSKA Moscow. Lazio and Red Bull Salzburg are level at the break in Rome. RB Leipzig lead Marseille in the other tie this evening, thanks to a Timo Werner strike. Plenty more to come, I'm sure.

9:02pmAs for the hosts, they can call on the likes of Torres and Gameiro, but the current front line appears to be doing enough.

9:00pmBENCH WATCH: The visitors have already made one change, but do have Fredy Montero as an extra attacking option, should they need it.

8:58pmSTATS: Overall, Los Leoes shaded possession (56%), but it was Atletico who had more shots at goal (7) and on target (3). They have also had more clear cut opportunities, but have only made 210 passes while Sporting have made more than 300.

8:55pmWell, at times Sporting looked to be setting into their task, but as it stands, Los Rojiblancos have one foot in the last four of the Europa League without getting out of second gear. Two defensive mistakes have really cost the visitors.

45+1 minHALF TIME: Atletico Madrid 2-0 Sporting Lisbon

45 minJust the one minute of added time in Madrid.

45 minSPORTING SUB: Indeed, it's Carvalho who jogs off to be replaced by Acuna. I wonder whether Ruiz may have to drop back to accomodate the substitute, who favours the left wing.

44 minIt looks like Sporting are readying Acuna on the sidelines, but I haven't seen any of the away side struggling with injury.

42 minLooking at the replay, Mathieu appears to let the ball runn between his legs. This after Coates was caught knapping for Koke's opener. It has been a first half to forget for Sporting's centre-halves.

40 minI was just about to say that Sporting had kept Atleti largely quiet, but the hosts have doubled their lead and mistakes in the visitor's defence allowed Griezmann to run into acres of space and slot past Patricio.

39 minGOAL! Atletico Madrid 2-0 Sporting Lisbon (Griezmann)

36 minNow it's Sporting's turn to appeal for a foul and Piccini falls to the ground rather heavily and doesn't get the decision. The challenge certainly halts a promising attack.

34 minSHOT! It's a shot wide from Costa, but he is adamant that he was fouled as he lined up the strike from the right of the box. The Russian official is having none of it.

32 minSAVE! Finally Oblak is forced into a save as the impressive Martins tries to guide an effort low to the Slovenian's left, but the in-demand keeper is equal to the shot.

30 minBar some occasional moments of wonder, the game has failed to continue in the frenetic nature as it started. It feels like Atleti are trying to turn the screw ever so slowly.

28 minSHOT! Griezmann, looking to add to his 16 goals this season, has a crack, but misses the target.

26 minBy the way, the 22-second strike from Koke is also the fastest goal of the Europa League this season, overtaking Lucas Ocampos's effort for Marseille earlier in the campaign.

25 minYELLOW CARD: The first card of the night from Mr Karasev in brandished in the direction of Niguez for an obvious tug of the shirt on Ruiz. Only Atletico's Correa is in danger of a suspension as things stand. Six Sporting players are one yellow away from a ban.

23 minInterestingly, Atletico Madrid have now gone more than 750 minutes without conceding a goal at home. Sporting's task was hard enough without remembering that stat.

21 minFOUL! It's nice to see that Costa hasn't lost his sense of injustice as he shakes his head after he visibility shoves Piccini to the turf.

19 minHernandez tries his luck with a speculative shot from the edge of the box and fires wide of Patricio's net.

17 minSTATS: Sporting are seeing more of the ball early on (61%), but Atleti do not look under concerted pressure and seem happy without the ball. They'll be looking to keep a 26th clean sheet of the season.

15 minFOUL! Sporting earn another free kick, this time Ruiz is felled by Juanfran.

14 minSHOT! Another effort from Sporting as Bas Dost tries his luck and fails to test Oblak as his effort is blocked. The Portuguese side are least having a go and not trying to sit back.

12 minAs an Atletico corner from Koke comes to nothing, his early goal was the 499th by a Spanish team in the Europa League era in the 299th game.

10 minSporting's first chance of note as Coates turns Coentrao's delivery wide of the target.

8 minI should credit Antoine Griezmann with the assist for Koke's finish. He's making a habit of creating goals of late.

6 - @AntoGriezmann has been directly involved in six goals in his last six European games for @atletienglish (three goals, three assists). Reference pic.twitter.com/cd2q4ZlEHz

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) April 5, 2018

6 minI am told that the official time is 22 seconds for Koke's opener. Meanwhile Gabi is penalised for a foul on Carvalho.

4 minSAVE! Atletico almost double their lead as Godin's effort is saved by Patricio

2 minThat goal was clocked at 23 seconds as Koke puts in Atleti off to a perfect start. Sporting were all over the place!

1 minGOAL! Atletico Madrid 1-0 Sporting Lisbon (Koke)

0 minRussian referee Sergei Karasev gets us underway in the Spanish capital.

8:04pmThe players are in the tunnel and I'm hearing that there should be around 60,000 in attendance in Madrid. Fingers crossed they see an exciting game.

8:02pmTonight's match is a crucial one for Sporting's coach Jorge Jesus, with a few murmurs of a possible summer managerial change. The former Benfica boss will be eager to get a result.

8:00pmPREDICTION: As kickoff at the Wanda Metropolitano nears, it is time for a prediction and with Atletico's recent form, it should be a straightforward game to forecast. Sporting will be doing to avoid anything but a defeat, but I am going for a 3-0 win for the hosts.

7:57pmHEAD-TO-HEAD: Atleti and Sporting have met each other only twice, in the 2010 Europa League last eight. As mentioned, Sporting held their Spanish opponents to a 0-0 draw in Madrid, but went out on away goals after a Sergio Aguero brace saw the La Liga side through.

7:54pmIn addition, Sporting's recent form makes for difficult reading, having lost three out of their last four games, including a defeat to Braga at the weekend.

7:53pmThe only ray of light came in the 0-0 draw in the first-leg of the 2010 Quarter-Final when they held Atleti at the Vicente Calderon.

7:52pmThat said, their record in Spain is poor, having failed to win in any of their previous twelve visits (D3, L9).

7:51pmSporting were semi-finalists in 2012, their best showing in the competition and are making their third appearance at this stage.

7:49pmLike Atletico, Sporting entered the Europa League after dropping out of the Champions League earlier in the season, but unlike their Iberian opponents, Los Leoes were not expected to usurp Barcelona or last year's runners-up Juventus.

7:46pmHowever, tonight's opposition are the only other club left in the draw to have played in the quarter finals of this tournament and lost on away goals the last time they met.

7:44pmAtleti have their own winning tradition in this tournament and have won 21 of their last 24 games in this competition

7:42pmHowever, they will be continuing a fine tradition of Spanish clubs in this competition, with tonight's game being the 299th match involving a club from Spain.

7:39pmAtleti have also enjoyed plenty of success in this tournament previously. They have won the trophy twice in the last 10 years and, as their last serious chance of picking up silverware this season, they will be looking for a hat-trick of Europa League titles

7:37pmDiego Simeone's men didn't dwell on an early exit from the Champions League (finishing behind Roma and Chelsea) and have scored 13 goals in four Europa League knockout games so far.

7:35pmAtletico's form has been down to a sturdy defence and they have not conceded a home goal since January 20. Los Rojiblancos have also won eight straight home games with clean sheets.

7:32pmIndeed, the Spanish giants have made their new home, the Wanda Metropolitano, a fortress and haven't lost a La Liga game there since moving in the summer.

7:30pmAtletico come into this game in a rich vein of form, having lost only one of their last six games and have made a habit of keeping clean sheets.

7:28pmSporting's injury woes have improved a little in recent weeks. So much so that only Daniel Podence and Seydou Doumbia are the long-term absentees.

7:27pmIn total, there are six players in danger of being suspended (Martins, Coentrao and Battaglia all start). Marcos Acuna is on the bench.

7:26pmLos Leoes' attack is led by Bas Dost and Bruno Fernandes this evening. However, both players are only one yellow card from a suspension.

7:24pmThere is some good news for Sporting, who have William Carvalho and Sebastian Coates available. Both players were fitness doubts for the trip to Spain. Carvalho missied Saturday's defeat against Braga

7:22pmKevin Gameiro, who scored the winner in that game from the spot, has to do with a place on the bench as Costa and Griezmann look to give plenty of firepower to the home side's attack.

7:21pmThere is, however, no Jose Gimenez in Atleti's defence against Sporting. Sime Vrsaljko is also absent after missing the victory over Depor at the weekend.

7:19pmLos Rojiblancos are also boosted by the appearance of seasoned full back Juanfran. The former Spanish international had picked up a hamstring injury in the last round against Vitoria Plzen, but the veteran features tonight.

7:17pmWell, Atletico cannot be accused of taking this competition lightly with Griezmann and Costa leading the line for the hosts. Griezmann should be full of energy after missing the weekend win over Deportivo through suspension. Costa had been spotted limping in training during the week, but the former Chelsea starts this evening.

7:15pmATLETICO XI: Oblak; Godin, Savic, Hernandez, Juanfran; Koke, Gabi, Niguez, Correa; Griezmann, Costa SPORTING XI: Patricio; Coates, Mathieu, Coentrao, Piccini; Martins, Carvalho, Ruiz, Battaglia; Fernandez; Dost

7:08pmWithout further ado, let's bring you the latest team news from the Spanish capital.

7:07pmHello and welcome to live commentary from Europa League with Atletico Madrid and Sporting Lisbon vying for a place in the last four of the competition and tonight's first-leg at the Wanda Metropolitano could go a long way to decide one of the semi-finalists.

Live Commentary: Atletico Madrid 2-0 Sporting Lisbon - as it happened

Teams mentioned in this article :

Atletico Madrid

Sporting Lisbon