After exactly 3 years Atalanta returns to win a match in the Champions League. In Gelsenchirchen they humiliate Shakhtar Donetsk (0-3) and get back on average in the race towards the round of 16, making up for the 0-0 draw with Arsenal on their debut. Gasperini’s team dominated from start to finish (22 shots to 6 but with 4 conceded at the end of the match, in the last 10′, ndr) against an opponent who appeared to be of a lower category, so much so that the regrets for Bologna’s lack of success in the previous round increased.
«The match report»
Djimsiti unlocks the result
Gasperini effectively confirmed the Dall’Ara lineup by replacing the injured Brescianini and Ruggeri with Samardzic, placed behind Lookman and De Ketelaere, and Zappacosta, used on the left. After suffering from high pressing from the Ukrainians in the opening minutes, Atalanta took over and began to dominate. She did the general tests with Lookman and in the 21st minute she passed: on a free kick from the right midfield by the same Nigerian attacker, Ederson did not find the ball on the turn which still reached Djimsiti, who was good at controlling it with his body and hitting from a few steps away Riznyk.
Lookman, crossbar and then goal
The Nerazzurri insisted on the wings of enthusiasm. They came close to the target with Samardzic, De Ketelaere and Lookman (header from Bellanova‘s cross in the 36th minute) who made up for it in the 44th minute by scoring the 0-2 goal with a nice right-footed touch ahead of Marlon Gomes on a cross from the left by Kolasinac.
Bellanova gets the hat trick, Zappacosta posts
We had to wait until the 1st minute of the second half to witness Shakhtar’s first shot on target when substitute Konoplia sent a diagonal shot just wide from a good position. Atalanta were not scared and already in the 48th minute they scored a trio: a cross from the left by Zappacosta for the onrushing Bellanova who headed it home.
Misfortunes a Djimsiti e Kossounou
Shakhtar went wild but the post, hit left-footed by Zappacosta, saved them from poker 2′ later. Gasperini gave space to Zaniolo and Retegui, removing De Ketelaere and Lookman, but Atalanta continued to dominate the scene, still coming close to 0-4 with Samardzic and Zaniolo. The only bad news of the evening for the Nerazzurri were the muscle injuries suffered by Djimsiti, replaced at half-time by Pasalic and Kossounou forced off at the end by Godfrey. However, the victory boosts morale, which is essential for a quick start in the championship too.
SHAKHTAR DONETSK-ATALANTA 0-3 (0-2)
Shakhtar Donetsk (3-4-1-2): Riznyk 5.5; Ghram 5 (1’st Konoplia 6), Bondar 5.5, Matviyenko 5; Gomes 5 (18’st Kevin 6), Kryskiv 5.5, Stepanenko 5.5 (18’st Bondarenko 6), Pedro Henrique 5.5; Sudakov 5; Zubkov 4.5 (30’st Newertton), Eguinaldo 5 (18’st Traoré 5.5). On the bench: Fesiun, Franjic, Shved, Azarov, Tobias, Nazaryna, Pedrinho. Coach: Pusic.
Atalanta (3-4-1-2): Carnesecchi 6; Kossounou 6.5 (38’st Godfrey sv), Djimsiti 7 (1’st Pasalic 6), Kolasinac 6.5; Bellanova 7 (30’st Cuadrado 6), De Roon 6.5, Ederson 6.5, Zappacosta 6.5; Samardzic 6.5; De Ketelaere 6.5 (15’st Zaniolo 6), Lookman 7.5 (15’st Retegui 6). On the bench: Rui Patricio, Rossi, Palestra, Comi, Manzoni, V.Vlahovic, Del Lungo. Coach: Gasperini.
Referee: Joao Pinheiro (By).
Rarely: 21’pt Djimsiti, 44’pt Lookman, 3’st Bellanova.
Warned: Ghram, Zaniolo, Gasperini, Ederson.
Angles: 3-5.
Recovery: 0′, 5′.
Spectators: 21.663.
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