Video: CE L’Hospitalet 0 – 3 Atletico Madrid (Dec-3-2014) [Copa Dey Rey] Highlights

Diego Simeone’s men took a while to get going but eventually secured a comfortable win in the first leg of their Copa del Rey fourth round tie, with Antoine Griezmann the catalyst

It took Atletico Madrid more than an hour to break down L’Hospitalet on Wednesday but the Spanish champions ultimately claimed a 3-0 win in their Copa del Rey clash.

Antoine Griezmann ghosted into the penalty area 20 minutes after coming on at half-time to head Diego Simeone’s side in front from close range in the first leg of the round-of-32 clash.

Alessio Cerci and Raul Jimenez had come close in the first half, but it was the introduction of France international Griezmann that gave the visitors the cutting edge they had lacked.

Jimenez almost found the net with 15 minutes to play, before the Liga champions were able to double their lead courtesy of Gabi’s penalty after Cerci had been upended.

Cristian Rodriguez then added a third goal in stoppage time and Atleti will be expected to secure their place in the fifth round when the two sides meet in the second leg at the Vicente Calderon on December 18.

Simeone gave a first-team debut to 18-year-old Lucas Hernandez, while Jan Oblak and Cerci were handed their first domestic starts for the 2013 winners.

The hosts were without top scorer David Haro, who dropped to the bench.

After a slow start the visitors began to find their rhythm on the artificial surface, and were unlucky not to take the lead after 11 minutes.

Rodriguez delivered a dangerous cross from the left towards Cerci, who met the ball first time but Oliver Sanchez got down well to push the ball away.

Oliver was beaten eight minutes later, but the crossbar came to his rescue when Jimenez’s header clipped the woodwork after he was picked out by Cerci.

L’Hospitalet showed brief glimpses that they could pose a threat going forward, but Atletico continued to look more likely to open the scoring and were frustrated again when Saul and Cerci wasted good chances in the closing minutes of the first half.

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