Atalanta are not only breaking away in fourth place, but only one point behind Inter in third, as they completed another incredible comeback to conquer Lazio in the Capital.
Follow all the action as it happens from today’s six Serie A games on the LIVEBLOG.
Atalanta are not only breaking away in fourth place, but only one point behind Inter in third, as they completed another incredible comeback to conquer Lazio in the Capital.
Follow all the action as it happens from today’s six Serie A games on the LIVEBLOG.
This was a pure head-to-head for Champions League football, as the fight for the top four was getting tighter than ever. The Biancocelesti missed Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Stefan Radu, Valon Berisha, Patric and Jordan Lukaku, with Senad Lulic suspended, but chose Felipe Caicedo to partner Ciro Immobile. Atalanta were not only clear in fourth place going into this weekend, but as Inter drew with Udinese last night, a win would put them one point adrift of third.
Curiously, these sides will meet again at the Olimpico on May 15 in the Coppa Italia Final.
It was the ideal start for Lazio, as Marco Parolo’s pull-back was charged down, but Caicedo held up the rebound and he drilled in at the second time of asking from eight yards.
Luis Alberto and more so Ciro Immobile stung Pierluigi Gollini’s gloves from distance, but Duvan Zapata fired over under pressure from Francesco Acerbi.
He didn’t waste another chance, as when Remo Freuler’s shot was charged down, it turned into an accidental assist for Duvan Zapata to fire home from 14 yards.
Ilicic should’ve turned the game around completely when sent clear on goal, but narrowed the angle too much and turned wide one-one-one with Thomas Strakosha.
Marten de Roon’s scorcher was too central to trouble Strakosha and Luis Alberto couldn’t keep his free kick on target.
It was almost the perfect start to the second half for Atalanta, as within 40 seconds Ilicic had shaken off two defenders to force a fantastic reaction save from Strakosha on the tightest of angles.
Papu Gomez was booked for a foul on Wallace and will be suspended against Genoa next week, but first made a big impact to give Atalanta the lead.
The Argentine pounced on a terrible Wallace error to go clear, went a little too wide and the pull-back for Remo Freuler was over-hit, but Timothy Castagne was following it up and fired into an empty net.
Heavy rain started coming down on the Stadio Olimpico and Atalanta seemed to adapt better to the conditions. Duvan Zapata’s shot was deflected off Francesco Acerbi for a corner and Gomez curled it on to the head of Wallace, who accidentally turned into his own net to make it 3-1.
Simone Inzaghi made a desperate double substitution, but it was too late and confidence was waning badly after seeing their early lead wiped out.
Lazio 1-3 Atalanta
Parolo 2 (L), Duvan Zapata 22 (A), Castagne 57 (A), Djimsiti 76 (A)
Lazio: Strakosha; Wallace, Acerbi, Bastos (Neto 78); Romulo, Parolo, Leiva (Badelj 78), Luis Alberto, Marusic; Caicedo (Correa 64), Immobile
Atalanta: Gollini; Djimsiti, Palomino (Mancini 46), Masiello; Hateboer, Freuler (Pessina 85), De Roon, Castagne; Gomez; Ilicic (Pasalic 64), Duvan Zapata
Ref: Calvarese