Atletico Madrid Vs. Leverkusen Recap: Backup Goalkeeper Jan Oblak Sends Atletico To Champions League Quarterfinals In Dramatic Penalty Kick Shootout [VIDEO]

MADRID – Stefan Kiesling’s penalty kick sailed over the net and last year’s runner-up Atletico Madrid advanced to the quarterfinals of the Champions League for the second consecutive year. Atletico advanced thanks to the most unlikely of heroes as backup goalkeeper Jan Oblak was made the save of the night in a dramatic penalty kick shootout (3-2).

After 180 minutes, and two complete games, the Spanish and German sides needed extra time to decide who would advance to the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals. Both matches ended 1-0 in regulation, with neither side scoring the ever-important away goal. With the score tied 1-1 on aggregate at the end of regulation, each club played 30 minutes of extra time.

Antoine Griezmann, Mario Suarez and Fernando Torres all scored for the Atleti in the thrilling shootout and Leverkusen missed three shots and the Bundesliga club was eliminated from the tournament.

Atletico keeper, Miguel Moya, went down in the 23^rd minute with a hamstring injury, clearing the way for a fairy tale ending for backup goalkeeper, Jan Oblak. Oblak had no time to warm up before enting into the match and has not played in net for Atletico since he was thoroughly outmatched in a 3- 0 defeat at the hands of Olympiacos earlier in the Champions League group play.

Bayer Leverukusen was stricken by some bad luck in the first half. With the score tied at 0, and Leverkusen in the driver’s seat with a one-goal lead and a backup inexperienced keeper in net, the Bundesliga club surrendered an own goal that was credited to Atletico’s Mario Suarez. After a broken set piece, Cani headed the ball to his left where Suarez stood wide open on the left hand side of the box. Suarez fired on net, but the ball was tipped by a Leverkusen defender Omer Toprak and deflected into the net.

Extra time was uneventful as both squads squandered multiple opportunities to send their team on. Atletico had the best chance in the 116^th minute when Leverukusen keeper, Bernd Leno, saved a flying header by super-sub, Fernando Torres.

Heading into the dramatic penalty kick shootout, Leverkusen’s confidence was sky high. Not only did they face the young and inexperienced backup keeper, Oblak, but also their own keeper, Bernd Leno, was one of the best PK stoppers in the world. Oblak flipped the script however, and outplayed Leno in the shootout, sending his team on to the quarterfinals.

Game Notes:
Bayern Munich head coach, Pep Guardiola, was in the stands to scout his Bundesliga rivals Leverkusen.