On the 2020-2021 Serie A TIM match day 8 Atalanta draw 0-0 against Spezia at the Orogel Stadium in Cesena. The Nerazzurri created many chances, but didn’t score a goal against the Ligurian side in a match that had been missing since April 1939.
Spezia had a strong start, as in the opening three minutes Farias hit the post. Gosens replied to that on 14 when he fired inches wide with a right-foot shot. Depaoli was forced off on 25, so Piccini made his debut in the Atalanta jersey. On 40 Zapata hit the post with a precise finish from the edge of the box.
In the second half the Nerazzurri pressure grew which culminated on 57 with a great left-foot shot from Gosens to find the back of the next, but the German’s goal was disallowed after a VAR review as Zapata, who had nodded on a Toloi cross, was offside. Even substitute Lammers got dangerous on 68 when he forced Provedel to fingertip his strike round the post. Six minutes later, also Piccini came close to scoring but his header was wide. In the final minutes, the Spezia goalkeeper was once again the protagonist, as he performed a double save on Pašalić and Gosens on 84 and then denied the Croatian midfielder twice (87′ and 88′), to lock down the 0-0 result.
SPEZIA 0-0 ATALANTA
Spezia: Provedel, Vignali (Mattiello 55), Terzi (Chabot 75), Erlic, Bastoni (Marchizza 62), Estevez (Deiola 75), Ricci, Pobega (Maggiore 46), Gyasi, Nzola, Farias. Bench: Krapikas, Rafael, Acampora, Mora, Agoumè, Agudelo. Piccoli. Coach: Vincenzo Italiano.
Atalanta: Gollini, Toloi, Romero, Palomino, Depaoli (Piccini 25, Šutalo 84), de Roon, Pessina, Gosens, Iličić (Miranchuk 84), Gomez (Pašalić 46), Zapata (Lammers 67). Bench: Rossi, Sportiello, Freuler, Ruggeri, Diallo. Coach: Gian Piero Gasperini.
Referee: Antonio Rapuano from Rimini.
Assistants: Marco Scatragli from Arezzo and Michele Grossi from Frosinone.
Fourth official: Daniel Amabile from Vicenza.
V.A.R.: Luca Banti from Livorno.
A.V.A.R.: Valentino Fiorito from Salerno.
Notes: Ricci (S), Estevez (S), Terzi (S), Gosens (A), Pašalić (A), Pessina (A) booked.
