Atalanta U19s shrugged off the Roma setback with an away win: as Matchday 25 of the 2023-2024 Primavera 1 TIM “Trofeo Giacinto Facchetti” saw coach Bosi’s lads impose themselves 1-0 over hosting side Sassuolo at the Ricci stadium, the black-and-blue Primavera climbed up to 43 points in the standings, gaining ground on none other than the Neroverdi, level on points with the Nerazzurri before kick-off.
Called to action as early as 5 minutes into the game, Pardel’s quick thinking proved itself enough to defuse a point-blank ricochet following a corner kick. 21 minutes into the game and it was Bonanomi who had a close brush with the goal as his left-footed shot hissed inches wide to the right post. Atalanta took the lead on 31 minutes through Vavassori who, after controlling Bonanomi’s pin-point long pass, dribbled his way past an opponent and slotted the ball into the far bottom corner. Atalanta U19s closed the first half on the offensive, racking up three blasts in close succession before halftime: first with Armstrong, whose 39-minutes left drive flew narrowly high; followed by Therier’s full-stretch save on Castiello’s shot only one minute later and ultimately, in the 43rd minute to be exact, with Colombo, who smacked the inner crossbar with a boisterous ranged shot at the end of a lovely team play. With the ball getting back into play after bouncing off the woodwork, the referee ascertained no goal-line crossing took place.
The second half opened up with Leone’s free-kick chance skimming the bar. 50 minutes in and a clear chance for the Nerazzurri to double their lead through Vavassori, who had his attempts negated twice: first by Theiner’s on-rushing save and then by the post. As Atalanta stepped their game up, on 64 minutes the Primavera were in with two clear chances in lightning succession: first came Colombo’s shot from the edge of the box flying narrowly off target and then, mere seconds later, Vavassori’s encroachment was cleared away for a corner by the opposing defence. While the opponents managed to sting Pardel’s gloves 73 minutes into the game through Di Bitonto, it was Guerini who brought about the black-and-blue retaliation 10 minutes later wreaking havoc on the right flank and forcing the opposing defence to clear the ball away. Despite closing the game down one man after Manzoni was sent off on 90 minutes for being shown his second yellow card of the game, Atalanta U19s managed to bring home the full prize.
SASSUOLO 0-1 ATALANTA
Scorer(s): Vavassori 31 (A).
Sassuolo: Theiner, Cinquegrano (Parlato 72), Piantedosi (Caragea 84), Loeffen, Di Bitonto, Kumi (Rovatti 46), Russo, Leone, Abubakar (Neophytou 72), Bruno, Vedovati (Lopes 62). Unused bench: Scacchetti, Okojie, Beconcini, Ravaioli, Macchioni, Ferrandino. Coach: Emiliano Bigica.
Atalanta: Pardel, Comi, Manzoni, Vavassori (Camara 86), Armstrong, Guerini, Tavanti, Bonanomi (Riccio 74), Tornaghi, Castiello (Fiogbe 74), Colombo. Unused bench: Sala, Torriani, Obrić, Ghezzi, Bonsignori Goggi, Jonsson, Capac, Cassa. Coach: Giovanni Bosi.
Referee: Lorenzo Maccarini from Arezzo; assistant referees: Luca Bernasso from Milan and Salvatore Nicosia from Saronno.
Notes: Comi (A) booked while Manzoni (A) was sent off after being waved his second yellow card of the game on 90 minutes.
