The Primavera’s TIM Cup 2022-2023 journey ends at the quarter-finals stage as the lads coached by Marco Fioretto trailed by one goal in the outing played at the Torrini stadium in Sesto Fiorentino against Fiorentina.
Atalanta were quicker off the marks, with the first chance of the game two minutes into the match as Falleni’s header could not find its way to the goal. Yet, Fiorentina’s tit-for-tat was not long in coming: in the 8th minute of the game, Lucchesi’s shot on goal sailed over the crossbar. The first half of the game proceeded with many sudden turns of the tide: from Krastev’s crucial block on Bevilacqua at the heart of Fiorentina’s box and Martinelli saving Bevilacqua’s effort after the latter shrugged off his opponents (all happening within a two minutes’ span; respectively, in the twelfth and fourteenth minutes); to Guerini blocking Sene’s counter with a timely retrieval on 22 minutes and Bertini deflecting Kayode’s tight-angled shot 2 minutes later. On 36 minutes Tavanti was in with a new chance; but, also due to him being off target and with his back to the goal, he found himself ultimately unable to give momentum to his deflected header – which was thus easily saved by Martinelli. The balance was shattered in the 44th minute though, as Di Stefano turned the match completely on its head with a great solo play: after dribbling two opponents his shot bagged into the top corner. Before the half-time whistle, di Stefano tried to double Fiorentina’s lead with a shot from long distance saved by Prima.
Despite trailing by one goal, Atalanta were the first team to strike in the second half; after creating a couple of minor chances, the Orobic efforts were ultimately conducive to opportunity for the equaliser: 52 minutes into the game, as Bevilacqua nodded Ghezzi’s cross goalwards, his centred header ultimately ensued a quick-fire shot from the middle of the box by Chiwisa, which flew too high. On 71 minutes Bertini neutralized an attempt by Kayode. The final minutes were marked by Atalanta forcing hard in search of the equaliser turning the tables of the match and taking the game to overtime, but Martinelli denied Falleni the equaliser twice, as he saved both the chance stemming from Stabile’s through pass 81 minutes into the game and the opportunity brought about by Chiwisa’s play in the 90th minute.
As the match culminated with 1-0 featuring the final scoreboard, Fiorentina advanced to the semifinals.
FIORENTINA 1-0 ATALANTA
Scorer: Di Stefano 44 (F).
Fiorentina: Martinelli, Lucchesi, Biagetti, Amatucci, Sene (Toci 78), Di Stefano, Vitolo (Falconi 58), Favasuli, Krastev, Nardi (Berti 78), Kayode. Unused bench: Tognetti, Vannucchi, Elia, Romani, Capasso, Baroncelli, Presta, Vigiani, Harder, Spaggiari. Coach: Alberto Aquilani.
Atalanta: Bertini, Chiwisa, Muhameti, De Nipoti (Palestra 78), Ghezzi (Stabile 78), Tavanti, Regonesi, Bevilacqua (Vavassori 65), Tornaghi (Guerini 19), Mendicino (Colombo 78), Falleni. Unused bench: Pardel, Del Lungo, Bernasconi, Roaldsøy, Riccio, Perez, Cellerino. Coach: Marco Fioretto.
Referee: Andrea Ancora from Rome 1 (assistant referees Andrea Pasqualetto from Aprilia and Marco Giudice from Frosinone).
Notes: Vitolo (F) booked.
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