Atalanta get the third victory in a row in 2021 on matchday 17 of the 2020/21 Serie A TIM, as they beat Benevento 4-1 at the stadium Vigorito in Benevento.
The Nerazzurri first half was great, as they got off to a great start and almost took the lead within two minutes: a splendid Iličić cross found Gosens, whose volley flashed wide. The German wing-back had another attempt on target on 12, when his finish was palmed away by Montipò. Two minutes later, the Benevento goalkeeper denied Hateboer. Zapata’s header flashed inches wide on 19. Iličić skimmed the post with a left-foot curler which was deflected by a defender (on 28) and then he broke the deadlock after dribbling between three defenders. Iličić had another attempt on 42: his finish stroke the post. The first half ended with another chance for Zapata, but Montipò denied him.
In the second half Toloi immediately got dangerous, but his finish from the edge of the goal area was wide. Benevento equalised on 50 through Sau. The Nerazzurri started all over again, but in the 69th minute, captain Toloi scored to restore the lead, when he tapped in the goalkeeper’s rebound on Iličić’s shot. Zapata scored the third two minutes later after yet another Iličić cross. Hateboer and Muriel almost scored the fourth, which came on 86 thanks to Muriel himself, thanks to a right-foot curler into the top corner for the 1-4 final score.
BENEVENTO 1-4 ATALANTA
Scorers: Iličić 30 (A), Sau 50 (B), Toloi 69 (A), Zapata 71 (A), Muriel 86 (A).
Benevento: Montipò; Maggio, Foulon (Pastina 46), Glik, Barba; Dabo (Hetemaj 58), Schiattarella, Ionita (Del Pinto 80); Improta, Sau (R Insigne 58); Lapadula (Di Serio 58). Bench: Manfredini, Lucatelli, Basit, Masella. Coach: Filippo Inzaghi.
Atalanta: Gollini; Toloi, Romero, Palomino; Hateboer, De Roon (De Paoli 87), Freuler, Gosens (Maehle 73); Pessina (Malinovskyi 63); Ilicic (Miranchuk 87), Duvan Zapata (Muriel 73). Bench: Rossi, Sportiello, Šutalo, Lammers, Caldara, Djimsiti, Ruggeri. Coach: Gian Piero Gasperini.
Referee: Gianluca Manganiello from Pinerolo.
Assistants: Tarcisio Villa from Rimini and Gamal Mokhtar from Lecco.
Fourth official: Giacomo Camplone from Pescara.
V.A.R.: Gianpaolo Calvarese from Teramo.
A.V.A.R.: Salvatore Longo from Paola.
Notes: Foulon (B), Lapadula (B), Dabo (B), de Roon (A), Palomino (A) booked
