After securing a place in the knockout stage against Sturm Graz, the 1-1 draw with Sporting at the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo guaranteed the Nerazzurri the top spot in Group D of the 2023-2024 Europa League: Atalanta are through to the UEL Round of the 16 with one game to spare!
After Scamacca had an early goal disallowed for offside and Atalanta’s opening chances came to nothing, Sporting showed signs of threatening a goal with Gyökeres, who skimmed the far post with a right-foot curler on 20 minutes. However, Scamacca himself broke the deadlock on 23 minutes when the Italian striker combined with Koopmeiners and hit a powerful strike to beat Adán from 25 metres out. In the 35th minute, Musso was summoned to mute Pedro Gonçalves’ effort set up by Gyökeres.
The restart began with Djimsiti timely charging down a strike from substitute Edwards. Scamacca, sent clear by Éderson, came really close to doubling our lead when his 49th-minute effort one-on-one with the goalkeeper was inches wide before Sporting equalised through Edwards on 56 minutes. Atalanta’s reaction was immediate but Éderson’s angled drive was just wide. After that, Pedro Gonçalves threatened for the visitors in the 66th minute, as his shot bounced off the far and near posts and rolled along the goal line before going out of play.
Pedro Gonçalves created another scoring threat five minutes later but his finish one-on-one with Musso was off target. Miranchuk had a go in the 76th minute when he curled just wide of the goal with his left foot. With the 1-1 draw at the Gewiss Stadium, Atalanta took the top spot and qualified for the UEFA Europa League Round of 16.
No rest on Friday as the squad will get down to work for the upcoming Torino trip: an afternoon training session at the Centro Bortolotti will kick off preparations for the 14th round of the league.
ATALANTA 1-1 SPORTING CP
Scorers: Scamacca 23 (A), Edwards 56 (S).
Atalanta: Musso, Scalvini (Bakker 87), Djimsiti, Kolašinac (Holm 86), Hateboer, de Roon, Éderson, Ruggeri, Koopmeiners (Miranchuk 69), Lookman (Pašalić 64), Scamacca (Muriel 64).
Unused subs: Carnesecchi, Rossi, Zortea, Adopo, Bonfanti, Del Lungo, Cisse.
Coach: Gian Piero Gasperini.
Sporting CP: Adán, Diomande, St. Juste (Coates 81), Gonçalo Inacio, Ricardo Esgaio (Catamo 46), Hjulmand (Nuno Santos 77), Morita, Matheus Reis, Pedro Gonçalves, Gyökeres, Trincão (Edwards 46).
Unused bench: Israel, Diogo Pinto, Luis Neto, Dário Essugo, Paulinho, Eduardo Quaresma, Afonso Moreira.
Coach: Rúben Amorim.
Referee: Michael Oliver (ENG).
Assistant Referees: Stuart Burt (ENG) and Daniel Cook (ENG).
4th Official: Andrew Madley (ENG).
V.A.R.: Stuart Attwell (ENG).
A.V.A.R.: Carlos del Cerro Grande (ESP).
Notes: Inácio (S), Lookman (A), Scalvini (A), Kolašinac (A), de Roon (A) and Morita (S) booked.
