On matchday 14 of the 2022-2023 Serie A TIM, Atalanta are defeated 2-1 at the Stadio “Ettore Giardiniero -Via del mare” in Lecce.
Atalanta had the first chance of the game, as Zapata was clear on goal in the 5th minute but Falcone managed to block the Colombian’s finish. The hosts’ reaction arrived in the 16th minute, as Colombo’s shot after a good team move was inches wide of the near post. Soppy’s challenge in the 28th minute risked turning into an own goal, luckily the ball ended off target. However, it was Lecce who took the lead a few seconds later through Baschirotto, who nodded in from a corner. Di Francesco doubled Lecce’s lead on 30 minutes. Atalanta reacted to it through Zapata, who pulled one back before half-time after he converted Malinovskyi’s through ball to beat on-rushing Falcone in the 40th minute.
In the second half, Atalanta pushed hard in search of an equaliser. However, Falcone managed to palm Okoli’s header round the post in the 58th minute, denying the Italian defender and then Malinovskyi’s left-foot effort was inches wide in the 74th minute. Finally, Koopmeiners fired over from a promising position in the 79th minute.
LECCE 2-1 ATALANTA
Scorers: Baschirotto 28 (L), Di Francesco 30 (L), Zapata 40 (A).
Lecce: Falcone, Gendrey (Umtiti 84), Pongracic, Baschirotto, Gallo, Blin (Bistrovic 72), Hjulmand, Gonzalez, Strefezza (Oudin 64), Colombo (Ceesay 72), Di Francesco (Banda 64). Unused bench: Bieve, Brancolini, Cetin, Askildsen, Tuia, Helgason, Listkowski, Voelkerling, Pezzella, Rodriguez. Coach: Marco Baroni.
Atalanta: Sportiello, Okoli, Djimsiti, Ruggeri, Soppy (Mæhle 46), de Roon (Koopmeiners 46), Éderson, Zortea (Boga 80), Malinovskyi (Højlund 80), Pašalić (Lookman 69), Zapata. Unused bench: Musso, Rossi, Toloi, Palomino, Vorlicky, Demiral, Hateboer, Scalvini. Coach: Gian Piero Gasperini.
Referee: Gianluca Aureliano from Bologna.
Assistants: Niccolò Pagliardini from Arezzo and Marco Scatragli from Arezzo.
Fourth official: Daniele Paterna from Teramo.
V.A.R.: Luigi Nasca from Bari.
A.V.A.R.: Salvatore Longo from Paola.
Notes: Pongracic (L), Ruggeri (A), and Koopmeiners booked.
