体坛英语新闻：Real Madrid, Girona, Sevilla progress to last 8 in Spain's Copa del Rey

MADRID, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Girona squeaked into the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey with a thrilling 3-3 tie with Atletico Madrid on road on Wednesday night.

The 1-1 draw in Girona a week earlier had made Atletico clear favorites to qualify and things looked to be going according to script when Atletico took the lead thanks to Nikola Kalinic.

However, goals from Valery Fernandez and Cristhian Stauni either side of the break put Girona ahead and gave them an advantage on away goals before Angel Correa made it 2-2 on the night with 25 minutes remaining.

The away goals rule meant Atletico still needed another goal to qualify and Antoine Griezmann duly obliged to send the crowd in the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium into raptures 8 minutes from time.

However, as the home fans were starting to celebrate their progress into the last 8, Seydou Doumbia's left foot shot made it 3-3 and put Girona into the quarter-finals on away goals.

Markel Susaeta made his 500th appearance for Athletic Club Bilbao, who won 1-0 away to Sevilla thanks to Gorka Guruceta's powerful second half header, but the striker's first ever goal for the Basque side was not enough to overturn last week's 3-1 home defeat to Sevilla, who progress to the quarter-finals 3-2 on aggregate.

Real Madrid were another side to progress despite a second leg defeat with their 3-0 home leg enough to see Santiago Solari's side through.

Leganes took the lead in the first half through Martin Braithwaite and Madrid had Keylor Navas to thank for keeping the score down with a performance which won't have pleased Solari despite a long injury list.

Monday saw Getafe and Valencia qualify for the last eight, while FC Barcelona will try to come back from 2-1 down at home to Levante on Thursday night.