Cremonese-Atalanta 1-1: goals from Vardy and Brescianini

Vardy’s first ring is worth a draw which Cremonese snatches with the men counted in the middle of the pitch. Atalanta ended their hunger for goals in the league and cup, thanks to Brescianini’s strike and maintained their unbeaten streak in the league, but the Dea must grow in their play and production to remain in line with their former glories. In the end the grey-reds enjoy it more, exalted by the flash of the former Premier caliph and by a ranking that doesn’t have the appearance of a newly promoted one.

THE MATCH The spirit and resilience of Cremonese can be seen above all in emergencies. Nicola’s is an adapted midfield: Zerbin inside right, Vandeputte low playmaker and Payero left midfield. On the wings, Floriani’s push and Barbieri’s containment. Pezzella, Grassi, Bondo and Collocolo are missing. The blanket is very short, the self-sacrifice is not. In the Goddess De Roon scales arm in arm on the left, while the CDK-Krstovic-Lookman trident has the task of thawing a worrying fast. The progress is modest: a single flick from De Ketelaere for Krstovic, anticipated by Baschirotto. Lookman is lost in thought, the Goddess’ pace is slow and terribly predictable. Cremonese, on the other hand, has clear ideas, especially when they gain ground: two gorings from Terracciano and Baschirotto give Carnesecchi shivers who also rejects a tense cross intended for Vardy. Zerbin and Barbieri try from outside. In short, it is a Cremo that does not suffer from inferiority complexes, while Atalanta only comes to their senses at the end of the half when Lookman comes out of limbo and a great intervention with the body of Terracciano prevents Ademola from celebrating. The recovery re-establishes the balance of power. Atalanta begins to occupy Cremonese’s area and the additions of Samardzic and Scamacca put pressure on Cremo. A left-footed shot from the Serbian commits Silvestri. Lookman excels in one-on-one situations and only Terracciano’s foot (him again) averts critical scenarios. Cremonese jumps on Payero’s assist for Vardy who discards Carnesecchi and explodes Zini, but the Englishman is offside. The grey-red low block is necessity rather than will, Folino enters and Terracciano moves to the right midfield. Total emergency.

THE GOALS But the Nicola gang has a thousand resources. And he has Vardy. Terracciano throws long, Floriani’s head for Zerbin, diagonal blocked by Carnesecchi and the former Leicester player is there. First seal. Juric, however, finds the right man from the bench: inside Bresciani who after two minutes scores the equalizer with a shot from the edge that Vardy is unable to close on.

challenge all of Lombardy

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Atalanta have drawn seven of their twelve Serie A matches against Cremonese. In general, however, the Grigiorossi only once in these 12 matches beat the Dea in Serie A: 2-0 at home on 6 February 1994, with an own goal from Montero and a goal from Maspero. Considering all competitions, Atalanta has won five of the last eight away matches against Cremonese (to which must be added two draws and the defeat in 1994), after in the previous 12 the Bergamo team had not achieved a single success away from home against the Grigiorossi (six draws and six defeats.