Charles De Ketelaere scored twice and set up the third for Aleksei Miranchuk, as Atalanta flattened Sassuolo to set up a Coppa Italia quarter-final against Milan.
La Dea had new signing Isak Hien on the bench and Giorgio Scalvini returned from injury, while the Neroverdi opted for a very attack-minded formation.
Cristian Volpato’s strike from distance was beaten away by Juan Musso, with Alessio Cragno replying showing his reflexes on the Scalvini header.
De Ketelaere nodded just wide, but then broke the deadlock with a great control with his back to goal on the Mario Pasalic knockback from the by-line, scoring on the turn and half-volley from six yards.
Samu Castillejo and Davide Zappacosta had attempts, while Filippo Missori skipped away from Sead Kolasinac, but not Scalvini.
Aleksei Miranchuk’s angled drive flashed just past the far post, but the Russian almost scored a truly extraordinary goal on 55 minutes when meeting the low cross from the right, spinning around for an aerial back-heel flick that bounced off the crossbar from six yards.
Scalvini was again decisive on Missori’s counter-attack, then Berat Djimsiti made a desperate interception to prevent the Samuele Mulattieri tap-in.
Atalanta doubled their lead with a well-worked team goal, as Pasalic got down the left and pulled it across, Miranchuk laid it off first time with a disguised pass, allowing De Ketelaere to control and score with his weaker right foot.
Cragno kept the scoreline down by parrying the Miranchuk angled drive, but the Russian would not be denied and was on target moments later from a De Ketelaere assist, cutting inside Ruan Tressoldi for a trademark left-foot finish.
Miranchuk could’ve had another only to fire over after committing a defender to a sliding tackle, then saw his strike clip the base of the upright.
Luis Muriel came off the bench and tested Cragno when sent one-on-one.
Daniel Boloca gave Sassuolo a consolation goal with the last kick of the game, skipping away from Djimsiti to place the low drive into the far bottom corner. It was his return after emergency surgery on a fractured jaw.
Atalanta 3-1 Sassuolo
De Ketelaere 24, 63 (A), Miranchuk 71 (A), Boloca 95 (S)
Player statistic
| Charles De Ketelaere (Assist: Mario Pasalic) |
 |
24' |
| 54' |  |
Emil Konradsen Ceide | ||
| Charles De Ketelaere (Assist: Aleksey Miranchuk) |
|
63' | ||
| Aleksey Miranchuk (Assist: Charles De Ketelaere) |
|
71' | ||
| 90+5' | |
Daniel Boloca |
Match statistic
