United States midfielder Johnny Cardoso scored his first goal for Atlético Madrid in a 4-1 Champions League playoff victory over Club Brugge on Tuesday. The 48th-minute strike from outside the box helped secure Atlético's 7-4 aggregate win and advancement to the round of 16 at the Metropolitano.

Cardoso, who joined from Real Betis in July 2025, called it a "perfect" night after battling through an injury-plagued debut season. The 22-year-old has played just 203 minutes in the Champions League this season following an ankle injury in September that sidelined him for six weeks. His goal came before Alexander Sørloth completed a hat trick to seal the win.

Despite inconsistent form in LaLiga where they trail the leaders by 13 points, Atlético have shown flashes of brilliance including a 4-0 Copa del Rey win over Barcelona earlier this month. The Spanish club will face either Tottenham or Liverpool in the Champions League round of 16, with their Copa del Rey semifinal second leg against Barcelona next week.