Sørloth Double Sinks Struggling Oviedo at Wanda Metropolitano

Alexander Sørloth emerged as the architect of Atlético Madrid's comfortable victory, striking twice in the opening half-hour to dismantle a Real Oviedo side desperately seeking points at the bottom of LaLiga. The Norwegian striker's clinical finishing propelled fourth-placed Atlético to a routine 2-0 triumph at the Wanda Metropolitano, extending their impressive campaign while leaving 20th-placed Oviedo deeper in relegation trouble.

Sørloth needed just 16 minutes to break the deadlock, converting from very close range after Dávid Hancko's precise assist found him perfectly positioned. The striker demonstrated his predatory instincts again ten minutes later, this time rifling a left-footed effort from the left side of the six-yard box into the high centre of the goal. His brace effectively killed the contest before the half-hour mark, leaving Oviedo chasing shadows for the remainder of the evening.

The tactical battle saw Atlético's midfield trio of Koke, Conor Gallagher, and Antoine Griezmann control proceedings, with Nico González providing width down the left flank. Oviedo's veteran playmaker Santi Cazorla tried to orchestrate attacks alongside Salomón Rondón, but Clément Lenglet and the Atlético backline remained largely untroubled. The visitors' best moments came through Federico Viñas and Haissem Hassan, who tested Jan Oblak sporadically but lacked the cutting edge to trouble the scoreboard.

Despite Atlético's dominance in possession at 52%, Oviedo matched their hosts' shot tally with 12 attempts, though only one truly tested Oblak. The Slovenian goalkeeper remained alert when called upon, particularly saving Viñas' 35th-minute header. At the other end, Aarón Escandell produced several outstanding stops, denying Gallagher from distance in the 89th minute and thwarting Giuliano Simeone's effort six minutes earlier to prevent further embarrassment.

The turning point arrived with Sørloth's second goal on 26 minutes, which visibly deflated Oviedo's spirits and allowed Atlético to manage the game comfortably. Diego Simeone introduced fresh legs including Julián Álvarez and Pablo Barrios after the hour mark, maintaining control while giving key players valuable rest ahead of their crucial fixtures.

Atlético Madrid will host Barcelona on December 2 in a mouth-watering clash that could reshape the title race, while Real Oviedo face another daunting task when they travel to Mallorca on December 5, desperately needing points to climb away from the relegation zone.