Atalanta flies to the top for one night

THE MATCH
Atalanta continues to run strong, to score and to dream. A daydream built on solid foundations and players of good leg and quality. Net of the standings, which deservedly rewards the Nerazzurri’s game and Gasperini’s work, the Goddess impresses with physical solidity, technical-tactical certainty and mentality. A winning mentality that translates into an impressive performance on the pitch. Of individuals and of the group. A group that united fights, attacks and manages to enhance individual skills. Individual talents such as those of Lookman, the true protagonist and driver of the latest Nerazzurri victories. And like those of Scalvini, Soppy, Koopmeiners and De Roon, fulcrum and brain of a team that always plays without fear and courage even in complicated situations and in every area of ​​the pitch. Against a good Sassuolo, Atalanta managed to overturn the result for the first time this season, confirming that they know how to keep their nerve even in times of difficulty and know how to regroup and hurt in many ways. A show of strength by Gasperini’s gang that sends a loud and clear message to the other big names fighting for the championship. Without the commitments of the cups, in fact, this Atalanta is very strong and scares everyone.

Without Hateboer and with Zapata still out, Gasperini places Pasalic in the front row behind Muriel and Lookman, with Scalvini in the three-man defense and Soppy and Maehle on the flanks. With Laurientè unavailable, Dionisi responds instead with the young D’Andrea in the trident together with Pinamonti and Kyriakopoulos and recovers Berardi and Traorè for the bench. At a good pace and with short teams, the start of the match is very physical and with many duels. Tall and aggressive, Sassuolo tries to make the match relying on the geometries that have been run in the median and on the forays into the central streets of Frattesi. Atalanta, on the other hand, maneuvers wide, pushes with the outside players and looks for the one-two in the tight to the limit to aim for the goal. On the one hand Kyriakopoulos wastes a great chance by sending wide off from a good position. On the other side, he first stops a dangerous cross from Muriel and then rejects a close touch from Pasalic after a good combination with Lookman. Under pressure, the Goddess raises the pace, but Sassuolo keeps the defensive line high and gives the Nerazzurri little time and space to maneuver from below. Tactical theme that forces Atalanta to throw long or immediately seek the tips in depth. Inspired, Muriel is the most dangerous man of the Nerazzurri and every time the ball passes his side, Gasperini’s team changes pace. Taken from a cross by the Colombian, Okoli misses the goal, then Lookman kicks to the left side and protests for a touch in the area by Frattesi. An episode that Marcenaro lets go and that ignites the match. Demiral deflects a Thorstvedt shot for a corner, then the neroverdi maneuver perfectly in the restart with Pinamonti, Frattesi and D’Andrea and Kyriakopoulos stabs Sportiello with a precise and powerful left-footed shot. Goal that unlocks the match and triggers the immediate reaction of the Goddess. Maehle and Koopmeiners miss the big target, then at the end of the first half Consigli deflects a poisonous cross onto Soppy’s feet and the Frenchman gives Pasalic the equalizer.

Draw that lasts very little. As soon as she returns to the field, the Goddess sinks the blow again. Served in depth by Soppy after a ball recovered in the median, Lookman dry Erlic and beat Consigli with a stroke under the left crossbar. Lightning that overturns the result and puts the match on the Nerazzurri tracks. In the lead and in control, the Goddess tightens the lines, gives the green-and-blacks a bit of the field and plays for a throw-in. To give more weight and solutions to the attack Dionisi removes D’Andrea and brings in Berardi. Rogerio kicks high from the edge, then a left-footed shot from Berardi’s own is printed on the intersection of the posts. Flicker that keeps the match alive and triggers the swirl of changes. Traorè and Henrique enter the green-and-black ranks to give more drive and balance. Gasperini instead changes the attackers and calls into question Ederson, Boga and Hojlund to try to exploit the counter-attacks. Substitutions that mix the cards a little and tactically crystallize the match. With Sassuolo more active in possession, Atalanta makes density to the limit and relies on Hojland to restart. An attempt by De Roon from the edge ends wide, then Toljan misses and Consigli is forced to overtime on Hojland. Still stopped by a physical problem, Berardi asks for the change and Dionisi throws Alvarez into the fray for the final assault. Move to which Gasperini responds by replacing the external players and sending Ruggeri and Zortea into the field. Served on the counterattack by Boga, Ruggeri fails a good chance to secure the result. On the other hand, Sportiello blocks a shot from Alvarez from outside. An attempt that together with a wasted restart of Hojlund closes the race and brings Atalanta to the top of the standings. The Goddess keeps running and flies high.

REPORT CARDS
Muriel 6.5: when he has the ball between his feet, something always happens and the Goddess changes pace. Better in the first half when it’s cooler and shinier. In the second half Gasperini does not call back on the bench and does not take it well
Lookman 7.5: pushes, fights and runs, always giving a solution to his teammates in depth. The double goal is a perfect mix of explosiveness and precision. Magic moment
Soppy 7: in the non-possession phase it is not always orderly, but when it has to attack the depth it is always ready. Pasalic needs the equalizer and Lookman needs the 2-1
Kyriakopoulos 7: he is not an attacker and you understand a little from his movements, but when he has to aim at the goal he is a sniper. Wonderful is the left on the fly with which he unlocks the race
Frattesi 6.5: always in the right place in the median and ready to enter centrally with the ball and chain. When Sassuolo builds well in depth, the credit is often his
D’Andrea 6: second appearance in Serie A and first assist. Proof in chiaroscuro. Physically he suffers in one on one, but with the ball between his feet he seems at ease as shown by the cross for Kyriakopoulos
Berardi 6.5: enters the recovery from the long injury and immediately hits a sensational crossing of the posts with the highlight of the repertoire. Just enough time to show the usual magic left and then raise the white flag again asking for a change due to a physical problem

THE TABLE
ATALANTA-SASSUOLO 2-1
Atalanta (3-4-1-2): Door 6.5; Scalvini 7, Demiral 6.5, Okoli 6; Soppy 7 (36 ‘st Zortea sv), Koopmeiners 7, De Roon 7, Maehle 6 (36’ st Ruggeri sv); Pasalic 6.5 (20 ‘st Ederson 5.5); Muriel 6.5 (23 ‘st Hojlund 6), Lookman 7.5 (23’ st Boga 5.5).
A provision: Rossi, Bertini, Malinovskyi, Djimsiti. All.: Gasperini 7
Sassuolo (4-3-3): Advice 6.5; Toljan 5, Erlic 5.5, Ferrari 5, Rogerio 6; Frattesi 6.5, Lopez 6.5, Thorstvedt 6 (20 ‘st Traore 5.5); D’Andrea 6 (11’st Berardi 6.5 – 34’st Alvarez 6), Pinamonti 5, Kyriakopoulos 7 (20’st Henry 5.5).
A provision: Pegolo, Russo, Marchizza, Harroui, Obiang, Ceide, Antiste, Tressoldi. All.: Dionysus 6
Referee: carpenter
Markers: 40 ‘Kyriakopoulos (S), 46’ Pasalic (A), 1 ‘Lookman (A)
Ammonites: Scalvini (A); Kyriakopoulos, Pinamonti, Thorstvedt, Ferrari (S)
Expelled: –

THE STATISTICS
• Atalanta scored 24 points in their first 10 league matches; record points for the Nerazzurri after the first 10 rounds of a single Serie A championship.
• Atalanta have won seven of their first 10 league matches; it was only in 1961/62 (seven in that case too) that the Nerazzurri had achieved so many victories at the same point in the tournament in a Serie A season.
• Atalanta have won all of their last six home games against Sassuolo in Serie A; this is the longest open streak of home wins against teams currently participating in the competition.
• Ademola Lookman has scored four goals in his first ten appearances this league, two fewer than those scored for Leicester in the entire Premier League last season (six goals in 26 appearances).
• Brandon Soppy made two assists against Sassuolo; it was from Luis Muriel against Torino on April 27 that an Atalanta player provided no more than a winning pass in a single Serie A match.
• Luca D’Andrea (18 years and 39 days) is the youngest player to have provided an assist in Serie A from Pedro Pereira for Sampdoria in October 2015 (17 years and 255 days against Inter).
• Luca D’Andrea is the first player born in 2004 to have provided an assist in Serie A.
• Atalanta have collected two consecutive Serie A home wins for the first time since November 2021 (against Spezia and Venice).
• Sassuolo have not won at Atalanta in nine games (2N, 7P); against no other team the neroverdi have an open streak of away games without obtaining the longest three points in Serie A (even against Roma).
• Sassuolo have lost three of their last five Serie A games (2W), including the two most recent; the neroverdi have not suffered two defeats in a row in the competition since the period between last May and August (against Milan and Juventus).
• Mario Pasalic scored his 39th Serie A goal, his first in this league; the Nerazzurri had not been on target in the tournament since last May 8 (against Spezia).
• First goal in this league for Giorgos Kyriakopoulos who has not scored in Serie A since his first goal in the competition (23 May 2021 against Lazio).
• Andrea Consigli played his 450th Serie A match against Atalanta.
• Davide Frattesi played his 50th game with the Sassuolo shirt, considering all competitions.