On matchday 7 fixture of the 2022-2023 Serie A TIM season, Atalanta seal the three points at the Stadio Olimpico as Scalvini scores the decisive goal to edge past Roma by 1-0. Atalanta thus keep the lead in the Serie A standings and are currently on 17 points.
Atalanta immediately had to do without Musso, who got injured after clashing heavily with Demiral and was replaced by Sportiello in the 8th minute. It was a cagey affair in the first 30 minutes, with only a few chances at both ends. It was Scalvini who found the breakthrough in the 35th minute with a snooker shot: Højlund pulled it back to the edge of the box for Atalanta’s no. 42, who drilled into the near bottom corner with his right foot. Two players born in 2003 gave Atalanta the lead at the Olimpico. Roma’s reaction in the final minutes of the first half was strong as they were looking for an equaliser: Abraham took a touch to get past Sportiello but dribbled just wide on 41 minutes and Sportiello rushed out to parry from Ibanez on 42 minutes. In the 45th minute, the Atalanta shot-stopper pulled off a huge save to deny Abraham from close range.
It was a very intense second half with Roma increasing the pressure, but Atalanta managed to keep a clean sheet. On 61 minutes, it actually took an Abraham goal-line clearance to prevent an own goal from Celik that would have doubled Atalanta’s lead. Then it was Zaniolo who skimmed the crossbar with a curler. In the final minutes, Shomurodov had a couple of chances to threaten (the first one was a header just wide in the 87th minute), then it took a great block by Hateboer to unravel a complicated situation in the 91st minute and secure a very important victory.
ROMA 0-1 ATALANTA
Scorers: Scalvini 35 (A).
Roma: Rui Patricio, Mancini (Zalewski 87), Smalling, Ibanez, Celik, Cristante, Matic (Belotti 67), Spinazzola, Pellegrini, Zaniolo, Abraham (Shomurodov 79). Bench: Boer, Svilar, Vina, Camara, Bove, Volpato, Tripi, Faticanti. Coach: Josè Mourinho.
Atalanta: Musso (Sportiello 8), Toloi, Demiral, Scalvini (Okoli 46), Hateboer, Koopmeiners, de Roon, Mæhle, Pašalić (Lookman 74), Éderson (Malinovskyi 88), Højlund (Muriel 46). Bench: Rossi, Boga, Ruggeri, Soppy. Coach: Gian Piero Gasperini.
Referee: Daniele Chiffi from Padua.
Assistants: Valerio Vecchi from Lamezia Terme and Vito Mastrodonato from Molfetta.
Fourth official: Giovanni Ayroldi from Molfetta.
V.A.R.: Aleandro Di Paolo from Avezzano.
A.V.A.R.: Ciro Carbone from Naples.
Notes: Mourinho (R) was sent off on 57 minutes, Mæhle (A), Toloi (A), Hateboer (A), Demiral (A), de Roon (A), Koopmeiners (A), Malinovskyi (A) booked.
