by Fabio Gennari
Victory had to be and victory was, with two goals scored by Pasalic and Lookman and no danger from Carnesecchi. Atalanta wins and convinces against Nicola’s Empoli, fifth place is now closer (-2 from Roma with one game less and the direct clash to be played in Bergamo) and in view of Marseille there are also some important data like Scamacca’s rest, which he watched for the entire match. And Scalvini who played from start to finish.
With five changes compared to the match against Fiorentina (Scalvini, Pasalic and the three attackers), the match begins with Niang (3′) and Touré (4′) who finish without worrying Carnesecchi and Caprile. For about twenty minutes the match was soporific, in the 25th minute Djimsiti sent Pasalic’s cross just wide and in the 33rd minute a great finish from De Roon was needed to extinguish the ambitions of glory of the newly introduced Cacace (Walukiewicz injured). In the grayness of a truly unexciting first half, the winning flash came from Touré (his performance was good) who put his foot in front of Pezzella on a cross from Lookman and then ended up on the ground: Fabbri didn’t see anything, Doveri called him back at VAR to award the (clear) penalty which Pasalic converted with thrill.
The second half begins with the goal that extinguishes any thought of a comeback for Empoli, Hien supports Lookman just after half-way and the Nigerian, after having jumped in fine style, Bereszynski flies towards Caprile, beating him with a left-footed shot that doesn’t seem irresistible but is effective and fits into the bottom of the bag. Having won the 2-0, Gasperini also begins to think a little about Marseille (De Roon, Djimsiti and Ruggeri out), but the Goddess still remains in control of the operations with another 2-3 opportunities for the trio which do not materialize for a blow. In the final Pasalic unloads the ball into the corner to make it 3-0, news arrives from Naples of the 2-2 draw between the Neapolitans and Roma for a ranking that, this evening, is even better. And now everyone in Marseille.
Atalanta – Empoli 2-0
Networks: 42′ pen. Pasalic (A), 51′ Lookman (A)
Atalanta (3-4-1-2): Carnesecchi, Scalvini, Hien, Djimsiti (57′ Kolasinac), Zappacosta, de Roon (57′ Ederson), Pasalic, Ruggeri (57′ Hateboer), Miranchuk (73′ Koopmeiners), Tourè , Lookman (84′ De Ketelaere). All. Gasperini
Empoli (3-4-2-1): Caprile, Bereszynski, Walukiewicz (25′ Cacace), Luperto, Gyasi, Grassi (62′ Marin), Fazzini (62′ Kovalenko), Pezzella, Maleh (75′ Cancellieri), Cambiaghi, Niang (62′ Caputo).
Referee: Blacksmiths
Warned: 24′ Luperto (E), 77′ Kovalenko (E), 81′ Scalvini (A)
