Atalanta wins, as the ranking suggested, and Cagliari sinks even further into quicksand, even more last and only in the standings. Who knows what will happen to Mazzarri, to which the president in the pre-race Giulini he had renewed confidence. The team played and fought in the second half but failed to balance the unbalanced result in the first half in favor of Atalanta. Goals of Pasalic e Zapata and in the middle the illusory draw marked by João Pedro, the usual wild cat that scratches and scares the opponent, even if the rough Demiral.
Perhaps if the home team had not wasted the first portion of the game by giving up playing except with sudden and rare counterattacks, the outcome would have been different. But in conscience who can say for sure? Against Atalanta the boarding is always around the corner.
Cagliari therefore to the very last beach, Mazzarri (only one win, over Sampdoria) can no longer lose ground in the rankings. Atalanta determined not to detach themselves from the lead train, who knows if the slags of the flamboyant equal in the Champions League against Ronaldo’s Manchester United will have kneaded her legs. In fact, at a distance, Gasperini’s team paid duty for Cagliari’s vehement return. He saved the three points but with his tongue hanging out.
Mazzarri at the start shuffled the cards in formation, also due to the numerous absences, some chronic: Rog, Dalbert, Keita, Ceter. Walukiewicz, Faragò, Ceppitelli. Pavoletti sits on the bench, Nandez plays Joao Pedro’s shoulder. In between they act hello, Strootman (bruised), Bellanova e Marin they are wide the defense settles up Godin who will engage in duels of strength with Zapata. Gasperini (he too accuses three heavy absences, Toloi, Gosens and Hateboer) responds with a rather fluid 3-4-2-1 during the first half. Immediately ahead with Pasalic, terminus of a splendid combination initiated by Zapata and finished in cross by Zappacosta. Once in the lead Atalanta lowers the outside, Maehle and Zappacosta, on the defense line and releases De Roon in support of the midfield, freeing Koopmeiners sticking to Zapata’s back, with Malinovsky e Pasalic, outer prongs of the offense fork, which has Zapata as a central terminal.
The formula seems to work, the phrasing of the ball on the ground, at a maximum of two touches, of the give drunk the Cagliari forced to close in the last thirty meters of the field. In the long run, however, the Nerazzurri maneuver becomes frenetic and even affected, the Gasp boys look for the combination of up to lead one of them, in general Zapata, face to face with Cragno. The game is firmly in the hands of Atalanta, Cagliari, spurred on in a loud voice by Mazzarri, is satisfied with long raises on the tips, in search of the good corridor. Operation that succeeds at times. Atalanta arrives in the odor of goals with Zapata, a gladiator, on the invitation of Koopmeiners, the Panterone burns Godin and try to dig it up Cragno that rolls the ball back into his throat and the scream of the goal in his throat.
Missed goal conceded. In one of the rare outings in advance, Cagliari equalized. Demiral misses the raise, the ball goes to Godin who immediately draws Joao Pedro vertically, Atalanta’s defense is uncovered, de Roon fails the diagonal, the rossoblù captain kicks ahead of Demiral, the defender corrects the trajectory just as much that deceives Musso: 1-1.
Atalanta makes up for it immediately. Wonderful assist from Koopmeiners per Zapata, Duvan shrugs Godin, pirouette on itself and unloads the left-handed, Cragno touches the ball but can’t stop it: Dea forward again. Match still and always vibrant and beautiful. With some edges (Godin and Koopmeiners are warned), the plot of the match does not change until the interval.
In the second half Mazzarri clings to the courage of despair. Outside Deiola who had made the added stopper, and inside Grassi, a maneuvering midfielder. Marin and Zappa advanced their range and the Goddess lost some of the swashbuckling polish that had inspired her. Gasperini runs for cover, De Roon advances in midfield and returns to the three-man defense. Crucial episode at 10 ‘, Cragno does not hold back a shot by Zappacosta, Carboni in an attempt to clear the area hits the ball and Pasalic’s right leg. Piccinini decrees the penalty kick. Mazzarri despairs, the Var (Chiffi) calls the referee to the on field review and Piccinini changes his mind. No foul by the rossoblù defender. Now Gasperini is protesting with the fourth official, Santoro. Frankly, you can’t stand it any more than the coaches who jump into the air like crickets at every whistle of the referee, even if it was to decree a throw-in. And we can no longer stand a crazy regulation that in an attempt to regulate every circumstance of the game ends up confusing the referees and causing differences in evaluation that clash with logic and justice.
Therefore, a game still in the balance, Cagliari doubles its efforts, Nandez has dropped a bit but how can you give up his verve? Mazzarri provides, inside Pavoletti for Strootman and finally two-headed team. Gasperini responds by pulling away Koopmeiners, warned, and Malinovskyi, somewhat confused, puts Lovato a defender, e Ilicic. Atalanta revives and Ilicic has the ball 3-1 but Cragno denies him the goal. Other changes here and there, in the final Mazzarri tries everything (in Pereiro and Farias), Pavoletti with the usual head of a brush almost at the intersection of Musso’s poles, Palomino is a giant and leaves him nothing but bricole. Pessina sees himself for a few minutes and Mancini will be able to count on him. Cagliari’s latest assault, with Farias alongside Pavoletti and Joao Pedro forward, is almost touching. Raising the lines the home team is exposed to the counterattack and Pasalic, Ilicic and Zappacosta in very rapid succession in the same action, they eat the third goal. It would have been too much. For Cagliari and also for Atalanta.
THE TABLE
Cagliari 1-2 Atalanta (first half 1-2)
Marcatori: 7′ p.t Pasalic (A), 27′ p.t Joao Pedro (C), 43′ p.t Zapata (A)
Assist: 7′ p.t Zappacosta (A), 27′ p.t Godin (C), 43′ p.t Koopmeiners (A)
Cagliari (4-4-1-1): Cragno; Zappa (44 ‘st Farias), Godin, Carboni, Lykogiannis; Bellanova (37 ‘st Pereiro), Deiola (1’ st Grassi), Strootman (16 ‘st Pavoletti), Marin; Nandez; Joao Pedro. Herds Mazzarri
Atalanta (3-4-2-1): Musso; de Roon, Demiral, Palomino; Zappacosta, Koopmeiners (18 ‘st Lovato), Freuler (45’ st +2 Pessina), Maehle; Pasalic (45 ‘st +2 Pezzella), Malinovskyi (18’ st Ilicic); Zapata. Herds Gasperini
Referee: Marco Piccinini from Forlì
Ammoniti: 20′ p.t Godin (C), 44′ p.t Koopmeiners (A)
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