Atalanta twice clawed their way back to beat Fiorentina 3-2 in a thrilling match, with Ademola Lookman’s inspirational performance.
La Dea were able to play their first home game of the season now the restructuring work on the Gewiss Stadium was complete. The injury crisis continued, with Rafael Toloi, Ben Godfrey, Giorgio Scalvini and Gianluca Scamacca out, but Sead Kolasinac, Berat Djimsiti and Nicolò Zaniolo returned. The Viola missed Albert Gudmundsson and started Robin Gosens against his old club with David De Gea’s Serie A debut, hoping for improvement after drawing every game in Italy and Europe.
See how it all unfolded on the LIVEBLOG.
Rolando Mandragora stung Marco Carnesecchi’s gloves in the opening minutes, a precursor to the Fiorentina opening goal.
Carnesecchi did what he could on a Gosens point-blank range header after a corner, but Lucas Martinez Quarta was quickest to bundle over the line on the rebound.
Atalanta equalised thanks to a wonderful bit of skill from Ademola Lookman on his first Serie A appearance of the season, skipping away down the left from Edoardo Bove and floating in the cross for Mateo Retegui’s header.
The home defence was caught out by a Mandragora cross from the left, as both Gosens and Moise Kean were totally unmarked, the striker getting the free header. He celebrated by getting a cap from a fan in the stands.
Fiorentina almost made it 3-1 moments later, as Kean got away from Isak Hien only to thump the near post from a tight angle.
Cristiano Biraghi made a crucial interception to stop Retegui meeting another Charles De Ketelaere cross from six yards, but it was De Ketelaere who rose above the crowd to nod in Ederson’s cross from a set play.
Incredibly, 60 seconds later Atalanta had gone from 2-1 down to 3-2 up, as Lookman cut inside from the left and squirmed his finish through a sea of legs into the near bottom corner.
Straight after the restart, Raoul Bellanova’s deflected effort dribbled inches past the post, then Lookman did the same following a series of quick one-two passes with Retegui.
Both Retegui and Lookman sliding in just failed to get on the end of a De Ketelaere ball flashed across the face of goal, then the Belgian’s angled drive was parried by David De Gea.
The veteran goalkeeper also got behind a Davide Zappacosta strike and Lookman effort, while the Nigeria international fired over when sent clear by De Ketelaere, as Atalanta wasted numerous opportunities to extend their lead.
Atalanta 3-2 Fiorentina
Martinez Quarta 15 (F), Retegui 21 (A), Kean 32 (F), De Ketelaere 45 (A), Lookman 45+1 (A)
Player statistic
| 15' |  |
Lucas Martínez Quarta | ||
| 17' |  |
Edoardo Bove | ||
| Mateo Retegui (Assist: Ademola Lookman) |
|
21' | ||
| Isak Hien | |
27' | ||
| 32' | |
Moise Kean (Assist: Nico González) | ||
| 44' | |
Rolando Mandragora | ||
| Charles De Ketelaere (Assist: Éderson) |
|
45' | ||
| Ademola Lookman (Assist: Charles De Ketelaere) |
|
45+1' |
| 67' | |
Amir Richardson | ||
| Davide Zappacosta | |
82' |
Match statistic
your liveblog has it wrong. it was a Napoli banner. not Cagliari. ‘hunting sheep’…it was unveiled well before kick off.