Atalanta swept Roma aside with an early Charles De Ketelaere brace to take fifth place with a game in hand, but risked throwing it away with wasteful finishing.
This was a massive head-to-head for Champions League football, as they were locked together in fifth place, even though La Dea have a game in hand against Fiorentina scheduled for June 2. Gian Piero Gasperini barely rotated ahead of Wednesday’s Coppa Italia Final against Juventus, with Sead Kolasinac, Emil Holm and Rafael Toloi injured. While they won Thursday’s Europa League semi-final, the Giallorossi went out to Bayer Leverkusen and were missing Paulo Dybala, Leonardo Spinazzola and Renato Sanches.
See how it unfolded on the Liveblog.
Mile Svilar made a save in the opening two minutes on a corner that was deflected off Romelu Lukaku, then Berat Djimsiti’s diving header just wide.
Atalanta broke through when De Ketelaere ran onto a Gianluca Scamacca through ball, cut inside Gianluca Mancini and bent the right-foot finish into the far bottom corner from 14 yards.
Moments later it was 2-0, as Teun Koopmeiners exchanged passes with Scamacca down the left and pulled back for De Ketelaere to sweep in relatively undisturbed with the inside of the right boot.
De Ketelaere could’ve had a hat-trick by the 36th minute, this time drilling just wide, then thumped it against the upright from the tightest of angles, while Svilar palmed a Hans Hateboer header off the line.
That same post was again struck by Atalanta before half-time, as the Koopmeiners free kick went over the wall and smacked against the woodwork.
There should’ve been a third, as De Ketelaere turned Evan Ndicka to send Mario Pasalic through, a curler bent inches wide of the far post.
Ederson scuffed a finish into the arms of Svilar on a Scamacca back-heel flick, while Edoardo Bove finally got a Roma shot on target, albeit straight at Marco Carnesecchi on 54 minutes.
Ademola Lookman came off the bench and immediately drilled inches wide from the edge of the area, as did Marten de Roon moments later, while Svilar had to palm the Mario Pasalic attempt over the bar at the end of a very long passing move.
However, Roma were given a lifeline when Tammy Abraham combined with Lukaku and was caught by De Roon arguably after he had got the shot away, but the referee opted for a penalty. Lorenzo Pellegrini converted, despite Carnesecchi guessing the right angle.
Suddenly, it was a different game and Pellegrini threatened to equalise with a swept finish from the edge of the box on the Angelino assist, which Carnesecchi had to parry with difficulty.
The Atalanta goalkeeper also smothered a Lukaku angled drive set up by Abraham and Stephan El Shaarawy, while Ederson stung Svilar’s gloves at the near post, then both Koopmeiners and Aleksei Miranchuk drilled just wide from the edge of the box.
The biggest waste for Atalanta was in stoppages when Koopmeiners somehow blasted over with only Svilar to beat when sent clear by Lookman.
Atalanta 2-1 Roma
De Ketelaere 18, 20 (A), Pellegrini pen 66 (R)
12-05-2024 19:45 MatchDay 36 Gewiss Stadium (Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia)
Player statistic
1st half| Charles De Ketelaere (Assist: Gianluca Scamacca) | 18' | |||
| Charles De Ketelaere (Assist: Teun Koopmeiners) |
20' 2nd half
| 46' | Evan Ndicka | |||
| Teun Koopmeiners |
58' 66'
Match statistic
58 Possession % 42 24 Total shots 9 7 Shots on target 6 14 Shots off target 1 3 Blocked shots 2 6 Corners 1 2 Offsides 1 11 Fouls 11 Atalanta RomaStarting lineups
2946' 90
Substitutes
186'
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