Matchday 22 of the 2022-2023 Serie A TIM season saw Atalanta produce a strong display and overcome Lazio 2-0 at the Olympic Stadium, thus moving up third in the league table and catching Roma on 41 points.
Atalanta got off to such a good start that created three goalscoring chances within the opening fifteen minutes. Koopmeiners hit it low with his right foot in the 7th minute, but Provedel was well alert. Three minutes later, Zappacosta’s effort was just wide and Hateboer’s volley in the 12th minute was beaten away by the Lazio goalkeeper. Milinkovic-Savic shrugged off a defender in the 17th minute to set up Immobile, who ballooned over from a good position. After defusing the hosts’ threats, Atalanta picked up where they left off: Lookman cut in from the left in the 21st minute and kicked from the edge of the box; the shot deflected by a defender was fingertipped onto the crossbar by Provedel. However, the breakthrough was only delayed, and it came in the 23rd minute, as Lookman laid it off for Zappacosta, who bent it into the far top corner to break the deadlock. In the 35th minute, Højlund hit an angled drive that flashed just wide. Before half-time, Zaccagni hit a ferocious strike that forced Musso into a huge save.
The second half started with another crucial save from Musso, this time on Immobile’s attempt from close range on 48 minutes. Atalanta’s reaction was immediate a minute later with a stunning move from Højlund, who sprinted past a few Lazio defenders but then failed to get past Provedel. But the young Dane’s goal was only postponed, as Palomino intercepted a ball in midfield and set up Lookman, who rolled across the box for Højlund to double Atalanta’s lead. Gasperini’s men were well in control of their lead in the final thirty minutes of the match, leaving no room for the hosts to get back into the game and thus seized a 2-0 victory over Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico. The team will now enjoy two days off and will get down to business on Tuesday with an afternoon session behind closed doors at the Centro Bortolotti in Zingonia.
LAZIO 0-2 ATALANTA
Scorers: Zappacosta 23 (A), Højlund 65 (A).
Lazio: Provedel, Hysaj (Lazzari 58), Casale, Romagnoli (Patric 39), Marusic, Milinkovic-Savic, Cataldi (Vecino 58), Luis Alberto, Felipe Anderson (Pedro 58), Immobile, Zaccagni. Unused bench: Maximiano, Adamonis, Pellegrini, Marcos Antonio, Cancellieri, Romero, Gila, Basic. Coach: Maurizio Sarri.
Atalanta: Musso, Toloi, Djimsiti, Scalvini (Palomino 59), Hateboer (Demiral 63), de Roon, Koopmeiners, Zappacosta, Éderson, Højlund (Zapata 90), Lookman (Boga 90). Unused bench: Bertini, Sportiello, Okoli, Ruggeri, Vorlický, Soppy. Coach: Gian Piero Gasperini.
Referee: Daniele Orsato from Schio.
Assistant referees: Domenico Palermo from Bari and Gamal Mokhtar from Lecco.
Fourth official: Antonio Rapuano from Rimini.
V.A.R.: Luca Pairetto from Nichelino.
A.V.A.R.: Valerio Marini from Roma 1.
Notes: Zaccagni (L), Scalvini (A), de Roon (A) booked.
