It was a night to remember at Anfield, one for the books, a match that will go down in the Club’s history. In the first leg of their 2023/24 UEFA Europa League quarter-final against Liverpool, the Nerazzurri ran out 3-0 winners on the road thanks to a superb performance from Gasperini’s men and goals from Scamacca (brace) and Pašalić.
The first chance of the game saw the Nerazzurri denied in the third minute when De Ketelaere sent Pašalić clear on goal and the Croatian’s shot was stopped by Kelleher’s face. The match was lively since the opening minute, with Liverpool reacting immediately through Nunez, whose effort was parried by Musso, and Mac Allister, who fired over. Twelve minutes into the game, a breakaway move resulted in Koopmeiners’ shot being blocked, while two minutes later, Nunez one-on-one with Musso shot wide. In the 26th minute, Elliot’s curler smacked against the underside of the crossbar and then bounced off the post. After escaping the danger, the Nerazzurri took the lead in the 38th minute when Zappacosta picked out a low cross from the right to find Scamacca, who steered his low finish into the bottom corner to make it 0-1. And Koopmeiners nearly doubled Atalanta’s lead in the first minute of added time when Pašalić sent him clear on goal but Kelleher managed to deny him.
Liverpool piled on the pressure in the second half, pushing hard for an equaliser and threatening through Van Dijk’s header, Salah’s left-footed drive that struck Musso’s gloves and Nunez’s shot. However, the Nerazzurri struck again on 60 minutes when De Ketelaere’s cross from the right found Scamacca, who slotted home his second to make it 2-0. Gasperini’s men threatened again on 65 minutes: De Ketelaere set up Koopmeiners, whose shot flew wide of the far post. After Salah had a goal disallowed for offside, Scamacca came close to a personal hat-trick but his 81st-minute header went just wide. The 3-0 was not long in coming, coming in the 83rd minute when Scamacca found Éderson, Kelleher did his best to block and it was child’s play for Pašalić to slot home. Liverpool’s final efforts were thwarted by the Nerazzurri defence, with Ruggeri clearing a dangerous situation and Musso keeping out Luis Diaz’s shot from the edge of the area and Szoboszlai’s close-range effort from a tight angle. The Nerazzurri ran out 3-0 winners at Anfield. The return leg will be played at the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo in a week’s time.
LIVERPOOL 0-3 ATALANTA
Scorers: Scamacca 38, 61 (A), Pašalić 84 (A).
Liverpool: Kelleher, Gomez, Konaté, Van Dijk, Tsimikas (Robertson 46), Jones (Szoboszlai 46), Endo (Diogo Jota 76), Mac Allister, Elliot (Salah 46), Nunez (Luis Diaz 60), Gakpo. Bench: Adrian, Gravenberch, Clark, Bajcetic, Alexander-Arnold, Quansah, Bradley. Coach: Jürgen Klopp.
Atalanta: Musso, De Roon, Hien, Djimsiti, Zappacosta, Pašalić, Éderson, Ruggeri, Koopmeiners, De Ketelaere (Miranchuk 89), Scamacca. Bench: Carnesecchi, Rossi, Toloi, Holm, El Bilal, Lookman, Bakker, Adopo, Hateboer, Bonfanti. Coach: Gian Piero Gasperini.
Referee: Halil Umut Meler (TUR);
Assistant referees: Mustafa Eyisoy (TUR) and Kerem Ersoy (TUR);
Fourth official: Arda Kardeşler (TUR);
V.A.R.: Alper Ulusoy (TUR);
A.V.A.R.: Abdulkadir Bitigen (TUR).
Notes: Hien (A) and Ruggeri (A) booked
