Sergio Aguero scored two first-half goals on Thursday to earn
Atletico Madrid a 2-2 draw at Sporting Lisbon and send the Spanish
club into the quarterfinals of the Europa League on the away-goals
rule.
The Argentina striker twice gave Atletico the lead, finding
the net in the third and 33rd minutes. Liedson and Miguel Veloso
leveled for the home team before halftime.
The teams drew 0-0 in the first leg last week in Madrid.
Aguero caught the Sporting defense napping early in the
match, sneaking between a defender and the goalkeeper to poke the
ball in from close range.
Liedson equalized in the 19th minute, heading in at the back
post for his fourth goal in the competition.
Atletico retook the lead when Aguero took a pass from Jose
Antonio Reyes and shook off two defenders before firing in his
second goal.
Anderson Polga ducked out of the way of Veloso's free-kick in
first-half injury time and the shot bounced past the goalkeeper
into the net to make it 2-2.
Sporting, needing to find the net for a third time to go
through, had Atletico on the ropes in the second half. Saleiro's
powerful shot forced a reflex save from David De Gea, and Liedson
looked set to score his second at the back post in the 60th minute
but was denied.
The triumph brightened Atletico's season after a poor run of
form in its domestic championship, where it is 10th in the table.
