KOKE and Antoine Griezmann scored a goal in each half as Atletico Madrid defeated Las Palmas 2-0 in a first-leg match in the Round of 16 of the Copa del Rey (King’s Cup) on Tuesday.

    Koke opened the scoring with a right-foot shot from inside the area in the 24th minute, and Griezmann secured the victory in the 51st with a close-range header after being set up by Kevin Gameiro.

    The result ended Las Palmas’ unbeaten run at home this season. It hadn’t lost at Gran Canaria Stadium since a game against Real Madrid in March.

    Atletico had edged Las Palmas 1-0 at the Vicente Calderon Stadium in the teams’ last Spanish league match before the winter break, ending a four-game winless streak.

    Atletico is already nine points behind league leader Real Madrid, and its most realistic chance of a domestic trophy this season is in the Copa.

    Three other first-leg matches will be played the next day, including Real Madrid against Sevilla at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

    Defending champion Barcelona plays at Athletic Bilbao today. The Copa del Rey is Spain’s second-most important club competition behind the Spanish league, which resumes after the winter break Friday.

    Meanwhile, Celta Vigo beat Valencia 4-1.

    Valencia continued to struggle after the surprise resignation of former Italy coach Cesare Prandelli. Prandelli resigned last week, only three months after taking over the Spanish club.

    (SD-Agencies)