Atalanta found it trickier than expected to beat Serie B side Pordenone 2-1 with Roberto Piccoli scoring one and assisting Viktor Kovalenko.
It was a strong start from the Bergamo boys at the Gewiss Stadium, as Piccoli found the net within six minutes with a header on Aleksei Miranchuk’s corner.
Marten De Roon threatened a second, drilling just wide from the edge of the box.
Pordenone got back on level terms from the penalty spot through Frank Tsadjout following a Jose Luis Palomino error.
Robin Gosens was one of several Atalanta players making their comeback after extended post-UEFA EURO 2020 vacations.
Mario Pasalic tested the goalkeeper, while La Dea gave new signings Matteo Lovato and Giuseppe Pezzella their debuts in the second half.
Josip Ilicic had a chance too, but Piccoli sent Kovalenko through to grab the winner.
Atalanta 2-1 Pordenone
Piccoli 6 (A), Tsadjout pen 14 (P), Kovalenko 74 (A)
Atalanta: Rossi; Sutalo (Lovato 46), Djimsiti (Da Riva 81), Palomino (Scalvini 81); Maehle (Ghislandi 46), De Roon (Delprato 46), Pasalic (Freuler 63), Gosens (Pezzella 59); Miranchuk (Kovalenko 59); Colley (Ilicic 46), Piccoli