MADRID (AP) — It took a goal by Antoine Griezmann 11 minutes into stoppage time to end Atlético Madrid’s home struggles in the Champions League after a frenetic finish.
Griezmann found the net with a header off a corner kick in the last play of the match to give Atlético a 2-1 win over Porto at the Metropolitano stadium on Wednesday with all three goals of the game scored after 90 minutes.
It was Atlético’s first win in nine Champions League matches at home. Diego Simeone’s team hadn’t won at the Metropolitano in the European competition since 2020.
Mario Hermoso gave Atlético the lead two minutes into stoppage time, but the hosts thought they were headed to another disappointing result when Porto equalized four minutes later with Matheus Uribe converting a penalty kick after a handball inside the area.
Griezmann, again a substitute, got the winner from close range after an assist by Axel Witsel with a header off a corner.
Porto had Iranian forward Mehdi Taremi sent off in the 81st minute.
Atlético didn’t win a single European home game last season, with its last victory coming against Salzburg in the group stage of the previous season.
Another setback would have added pressure on coach Simeone as Atlético had won only two of its first two Spanish league games.
Until stoppage time, the closest Atlético had gotten to scoring on Wednesday was a second-half goal by Koke Resurrección disallowed for offside. João Félix and Álvaro Morata started up front but struggled again. Porto had a few chances but couldn’t capitalize on them.
Goalkeeper Jan Oblak started for Atlético after being listed as doubtful because of an injury picked up in the team’s Spanish league game last weekend.
Atlético has advanced past the group stage eight times in the nine seasons it played in the Champions League since Simeone took over in 2012. It was eliminated at this stage only in 2017-18, when it went on to win the Europa League.
Porto was eliminated in the group stage last season. It hasn’t failed to advance to the knockout round in consecutive seasons since 1997-98 and 1998-99.
It was the ninth meeting between the clubs in the Champions League, including two from last season in the group stage, when the Spanish team won 3-1 in Portugal and drew 0-0 at home. Porto won only two games against Atlético, with three draws and four defeats.
Porto had won five of its first six matches this season, with Taremi scoring five goals.
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