Coach Brambilla’s Atalanta qualify for the 2021-2022 Primavera TIMVISION Cup final after beating Empoli 3-0 at the Bortolotti Training Centre in Zingonia with a brace from Cisse and a goal from Pagani.
The visitors threatened in the opening minutes with Magazzu but Sassi denied him and the Nerazzurri goalkeeper had to pull off a great save to block Bonassi’s close-range effort on 18 minutes. Cisse’s header in the 25th minute was wide then Pagani’s left-foot shot in the 29th minute was straight at the goalkeeper.
The second half opened up with Ceresoli clearing Bonassi’s header off the line on 51 minutes. Atalanta broke the deadlock in the 55th minute through Cisse, who converted Pagani’s pass from the left. A few minutes later, Cisse returned the favour to his teammate and sent a ball over the top for Pagani, who skipped past the goalkeeper and doubled Atalanta’s lead in the 62nd minute. The Nerazzurri almost made it 3-0 when Chiwisa hit the crossbar with a header and Renault’s left-foot finish was inches wide. Cisse finally made it 3-0 on 84 minutes when he fired into the bottom corner assisted by Renault. The final will be on the 27th of April.
ATALANTA 3-0 EMPOLI
Scorers: Cisse 55 (A), Pagani 62 (A), Cisse 84 (A).
Atalanta: Sassi, Del Lungo (Hecko 87), Ceresoli (Muhameti 87), Renault, Cisse, Oliveri, Chiwisa, Pagani (Omar 87), Berto, Giovane (Regonesi 80), Bernasconi. Unused bench: Bertini, Roaldsøy, Saleh, Stabile, De Palma. Coach: Massimo Brambilla.
Empoli: Fantoni, Morelli (Rizza 19), Rossi (Degli Innocenti 59), Magazzu (Baldanzi 59), Evangelisti, Fini (Peralta 69), Ignacchiti (Lozza 59), Renzi, Indragoli, Bonassi, Dragoner. Unused bench: Biagini, Filippis, Fazzini, Guarino, Boli, El Biache, Kaczmarski. Coach: Antonio Buscè.
Referee: Michele Delrio from Reggio Emilia (assistants Alessandro Munerati from Rovigo and Stefano Montagnani from Bolzano, fourth referee Bogdan Nicolae Sfira from Pordenone).
Notes: Bernasconi (A), Del Lungo (A), Giovane (A), Oliveri (A), Magazzu (E), Ignacchiti (E) booked.
