Torino-Atalanta 2-1: Ilic and Adams score, Milinkovic saves a penalty in injury time

TORINO – History and tradition testify that the climate of battle is good for Toro. It was the same this time: the combative Torino, shaken by the Bellanova affair, got the better of an aristocratic Atalanta, perhaps surprised by the lucid determination thrown onto the pitch by Paolo Vanoli’s gang. It finished 2-1, with Torino flying on goals by Ilic and Adams (who overturned Retegui’s advantage) thus combining the beautiful debut at San Siro with a splendid encore against the Bergamo team.

«The race report»

Of course, the climate at the Grande Torino is boiling, and not only because of the over thirty degrees in which the game is played. The hosts have had a particular week, which began with praise for the beautiful draw against Milan and ended with the bolt from the blue of the transfer of Bellanova that unleashed the fury of the Granata people. The pre-match is alive with the protests of thousands of Toro fans who march against president Urbano Cairo and the climate cannot help but pounce on Atalanta itself. On the field, in the end, the two protagonists of the day are missing, one from each side: Cairo is not there, induced to stay home (also) for obvious reasons of public order, and there is not even Bellanova, not called up by Gasperini for reasons of opportunity.

The award-winning company Ilic-Adams

Toro only has two Italians on the pitch but Vanoli does well to field a patched-up yet competitive team: Tameze is the full-back, like in Juric’s time, Vojvoda is Bellanova’s deputy, while Borna Sosa and Pedersen are on the bench. In Atalanta, on the other hand, Gasp bets on the offensive leader Retegui who, in the 26th minute, thanks and rises above Coco to head the ball to score the goal that gives the Nerazzurri the lead. But Toro reacts in a big way and in five minutes finds the equaliser with Ilic who moves into the centre-left and beats Carnesecchi who comes out. At the start of the second half, Toro completes the comeback: it’s the 4th minute, the usual Ilic goes to the left, Zapata’s shot is blocked by Carnesecchi and Adams from two steps away scores the 2-1.

Two crossbars for Atalanta, then Milinkovic takes care of it

That it’s not a good day for Atalanta is evidenced by the crossbar hit by Retegui and the post hit by De Ketelaere, but even more by what happens in the 93rd minute, when Lazaro commits a foul in the area on the youngest of the Nerazzurri company, the talented Federico Cassa, born in 2006. The referee Rapuano initially awards the corner kick, then is called by the VAR and awards the penalty, which Pasalic kicks into Milinkovic’s gloves. It ends 2-1 and if Atalanta, penalty aside, has not managed to find the decisive spark it is above all thanks to a great Toro; and who knows what goals they could aspire to, had the defense not been dismantled first (Buongiorno, Djidji and Rodriguez sold) and then the right lane (Bellanova sold). The credit for the reconstruction goes entirely to Vanoli, the debuting and emerging coach that the Granata people have already elected as their champion in the protest in Cairo. And on Friday afternoon, a few hours before the end of the market, the Granata will be on stage right in Venice, which last year was “Vanoli’s home”.

Torino-Atalanta scoresheet

Torino (3-5-2) Milinkovic 8 – Tameze 6 (22′ st Dembélé 6), Coco 6, Masina 6 – Vojvoda 6 (33′ st Sosa n/a), Ricci 6.5 (53′ st Ciammaglichella n/a), Linetty 7, Ilic 7.5, Lazaro 6.5 – Zapata 7, Adams 8 (53′ st Karamoh n/a). Coach Vanoli 7.5.

Atalanta (3-4-2-1) Carnesecchi 7 – Djimsiti 5, Hien 5.5 (25′ st Palestra 6), De Roon 5.5 – Zappacosta 6, Ederson 5 (40′ st Manzoni sv), Pasalic 4, Ruggeri 5 – De Ketelaere 6 (40′ st Cassa sv), Brescianini 5 (8′ st Samardzic 5.5) – Retegui 7 (25′ st Zaniolo 5). Coach Gasperini 5.5.

Referee: Rapuano.
Rarely: 26’ pt Retegui, 31’ pt Ilic, 5’ st Adams

Note: yellow cards Pasalic, Hien, Ilic, Djimsiti, Zapata, Milinkovic-Savic, Zaniolo. Attendance 20,451.