After Atletico Madrid's crushing 4-0 loss to defending European champions Paris Saint-Germain in their group stage opener, Diego Simeone was in dire need of a response. His side also delivered early in Seattle. Giuliano Simeone sped through the defense and cut the ball back into Pablo Barrios' path, who finished emphatically with a blast off the underside of the crossbar just 11 minutes in.

Throughout the first half, Atlético controlled the pace by applying constant pressure and making deft passes. Just before halftime, they thought they had earned a fantastic chance to double their lead when Simeone was fouled and the referee pointed to the spot. However, the penalty was revoked following a protracted VAR review, which was a huge concession for the home team and a turning point that changed the tide of the match going into the second half.

After the resumption, however, Atlético wasted no time in scoring again a few minutes into the second half. Marcos Llorente unleashed a tremendous drive that rocked the crossbar during a practiced corner sequence. Axel Witsel reacted swiftly to the mayhem the rebound generated in the box and eventually shoved the ball over the line to make it 2-0.

The match was far from over, though. When Albert Rusnák blasted a low shot past Jan Oblak, sparking expectations of a comeback, Seattle reacted almost immediately, halving the lead. But those aspirations didn't last long. Atletico recovered control in the 55th minute when Pablo Barrios found himself unmarked at the back post and coolly volleyed in his second goal of the evening, elegantly restoring their two-goal lead.

Although a few tense moments in the closing stages had them on edge, Atlético was able to weather the storm from that point on. But they remained firm. In addition to a much-needed win, Diego Simeone's team had a performance that raised their spirits and was commensurate with their aspirations when the final whistle blew.

With the victory, Atleti moves up to third place in Group B, although they are now tied with Botafogo and PSG. Their pivotal match against Botafogo on Monday suddenly bears a great deal of weight because everything is still up for grabs.

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