Atletico Madrid made it 10 La Liga games unbeaten with a 3-0 win over Elche on Saturday.
All three goals came in the second period, with Raul Garcia adding to Antoine Griezmann's double.
The result has left Atletico third in the table, while Elche remain 14th - six points clear of the relegation zone.
Here, Sports Mole dissects the 90 minutes of action.
Match statistics
ATLETICO
Shots: 18
On target: 9
Possession: 54%
Corners: 9
Fouls: 11
ELCHE
Shots: 13
On target: 3
Possession: 46%
Corners: 6
Fouls: 18
Was the result fair?
Even the most ardent of Elche supporter would find it difficult to argue that their team deserved something in the Spanish capital. Atletico really should have been ahead in a first period where Elche did not have a shot on target, but poor finishing coupled with some good goalkeeping kept the score goalless at the interval. Atletico remained on the front foot early in the second period, however, and eventually made the breakthrough after 55 minutes. It was 2-0 just past the hour and in truth, it became a damage limitation exercise from that moment as the Spanish champions took complete control.
A third goal arrived after 77 minutes when Griezmann poked home from close range as it became a comfortable afternoon for Atletico, who are now 10 games unbeaten in the league. The statistics seem to suggest that it was a lot closer in terms of possession, chances created and attempts, but when taking into account what actually occurred in Madrid, a comprehensive Atletico victory was, without question, the correct result. That said, Elche's first-half performance made it uncomfortable for the hosts.
Atletico's performance
Diego Simeone, who was consigned to the stands at the Calderon as he served a one-game ban, decided to ring the changes following their Champions League disappointment, with Guilherme Siqueira, Jose Gimenez, Gabi, Garcia and Fernando Torres among those that came into the team. It took the home side a little while to get going, but Garcia and Torres both had half-chances in the opening 20 minutes of action. The best chance of the first period came five minutes before the break when Torres found himself inside the box, but the Spaniard could only fire over the crossbar. It only seemed a matter of time before the deadlock was broken, however, and Atletico continued to dominate in the second period.
The first goal arrived in fairly fortunate circumstances as Griezmann nodded home from close range after Elche goalkeeper Przemyslaw Tyton denied Koke. Tyton might also feel that he should have done better with Atletico's second, with Garcia's strike from distance finding its way into the bottom corner. At that point, Atletico were very comfortable and they added a third after 77 minutes when Griezmann converted a low cross from Saul Niguez. It was one of those fixtures where Atletico had to bide their time, but in the end, it proved to be a comfortable and deserved three points for the capital outfit, who are in control of third.
Elche's performance
Elche entered the match having won their last two in the league, but Fran Escriba's squad was extremely depleted, with Jose Angel, Edu Albacar, Sergio Pelegrin, Mario Pasalic, Victor Rodriguez and Aaron Niguez all unavailable. As a result, there were starts for Rafa Galvez and Samu Martinez, with the former making his first-team debut for the Spanish outfit. It proved to be a strong first-half performance from the visitors, with Adrian Gonzalez actually having the game's first real chance after 10 minutes, but the midfielder could only fire wide of the post. As mentioned, it proved to be a frustrating first half for Atletico, and Elche must be credited for their part in that as they remained solid at the back and threatened on the counter-attack.
Jonathas has gained a list of admirers this season following some strong performances, but the Brazilian was isolated for long spells in Madrid, with the likes of Garry Rodrigues and Coro failing to provide adequate support. It was the type of game where Elche needed to score first if they were to secure a positive result and when that did not occur, it was always going to be a struggle. As mentioned, Tyton might feel a little disappointed with his part in the first two goals, but Elche did appear to run out of steam under constant pressure in the second half. That said, whether Elche survive this season is not going to depend on their results at places such as the Calderon and their fate this term is very much still in their own hands.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Antoine Griezmann: The Frenchman took his La Liga total to 22 goals for the season with another double in Madrid. The attacker has now scored twice in each of his last three league games and there is no question that he has been key to Atletico's strong run of league form. Griezmann's total is even more remarkable when considering that he struggled to gain a regular place in the early stages of the season.
Biggest gaffe
Polish goalkeeper Tyton might take some of the blame for Elche's first two goals, but their defending for the third was very poor indeed. The visitors had ample opportunities to clear a loose ball inside their own box, but Saul was allowed to nip in and send a low cross into Griezmann, who converted from close range. It was the type of defending that simply should not occur at this level of football.
Referee performance
In truth, it was a very straight-forward 90 minutes for referee Clos Gomez. There were not really any major decisions for the official to make and he issued just four yellow cards throughout the game. Gomez was also prepared to allow the play to flow when possible, which helped create an end-to-end feel to the match.
What next?
Atletico: Next up for Atletico is a trip to Villarreal on Wednesday.
Elche: Escriba's side welcome struggling Deportivo La Coruna on Wednesday.
Matt Law
