On Matchday 25 of the 2020-2021 Serie A TIM season, Atalanta win 5-1 over Crotone at the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo.
On 8 the Nerazzurri already became dangerous with Gosens’s angled drive which flashed just wide of the far post. The deadlock was broken on 12, again with Gosens who headed in Iličić’s cross. On 19 Muriel had the chance to double the Nerazzurri lead, but the kick was too long and that helped Cordaz to make a save. Crotone equalised through Simy on 24 who burst into the centre of the box and beat Sportiello with a light touch. Atalanta had to do it all over again. The visitors tried came close to taking the lead through Messias on 29, but Sportiello managed to stop the Crotone forward. The Nerazzurri dominated the final minutes of the first half: first Malinovskyi with a left-foot kick which was inches off target (on 41), then several seconds later, Pessina couldn’t find Iličić in the centre of the box as the pass was intercepted by Golemic. So, on 43 first Muriel tested Cordaz and then Malinovskyi headed inches wide from close range. The last attempt of the first half was made by Iličić who fired over.
In the second half, the Nerazzurri came back strong. After three minutes, Palomino restored Atalanta lead as the Argentinian prod home Muriel’s corner. On 50 Muriel took advantage of a Crotone defender’s slip to make it 3-1. On 58 the Nerazzurri made it 4-1: a big left-foot curler by Iličić into the far top corner. The match was under control, as Miranchuk, who had just come off the bench, almost scored a fifth with a right-foot effort. Cordaz denied Iličić’s double by palming his free-kick out of the corner. Sportiello then denied Messias from making a double. On 83 Cordaz deflected Zapata’s powerful kick for a corner. Miranchuk sealed the 5-1 win on 85 with a left-foot curler in off the inside of the post. At the end of the match, Gasperini also introduced Ghislandi, a young footballer of the Nerazzurri Academy, born in 2001, giving him the chance to make his Serie A debut.
ATALANTA 5-1 CROTONE
Scorers: Gosens 12 (A), Simy 23 (C), Palomino 48 (A), Muriel 50 (A), Iličić 58 (A), Miranchuk 85 (A).
Atalanta: Sportiello, Djimsiti, Romero (Caldara 69), Palomino, Mæhle, Freuler (Pašalić 63), Pessina, Gosens (Ghislandi 86), Malinovskyi (Miranchuk 63), Iličić, Muriel (Zapata 69). On the bench: Rossi, Gollini, Toloi, Ruggeri. Coach: Gian Piero Gasperini.
Crotone: Cordaz, Golemic, Magallan (Cuomo 51), Luperto, Pereira, Zanellato, Eduardo (Marrone 80), Reca (Rispoli 46), Messias, Riviere (Petriccione 60), Simy. On the bench: Festa, Crespi, Cuomo, Ounas, Dragus, Rojas, D’Aprile, Marrone, Di Carmine. Coach: Serse Cosmi.
Referee: Simone Sozza from Seregno.
Assistants: Manuel Robilotta di Sala Consilina and Andrea Tardino from Milan.
IV official: Federico La Penna from Roma 1.
V.A.R.: Daniele Chiffi from Padua.
A.V.A.R.: Valentino Fiorito from Salerno.
Notes: Magallan (C), Riviere (C) booked.
