Cagliari-Atalanta 0-1: goal from Zaniolo

Atalanta won their tenth consecutive league match (record in their history) 1-0 thanks to a goal from Zaniolo. And the Goddess extends their lead in the standings to +5 over Napoli playing in Udine.

CARNESECCHI MIRACULOUS

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Nicola presents himself with a three-man defence: Zappa, Mina and Luperto to guard Atalanta’s three most offensive players. Gasperini rests De Roon for the first time after 22 consecutive matches of the season without even a minute lost and also leaves Lookman on the bench, with Brescianini and Pasalic inside between midfield and midfield. In the non-possession phase the two teams are similar in the 3-5-2 formation which in the possession phase becomes 4-3-3 and 3-4-3 respectively. After about 20 minutes something starts to move. First a restart orchestrated by Luvumbo who launches Piccoli into the space closed in the area by Kossounou and Kolasinac. Then a left from Brescianini, not wide. In the 34th minute there was a big risk for Atalanta: Kossounou slipped and closed on Deiola but the ball hit his arm. For the Var room it is not a penalty. In the 39th minute the Carnesecchi show takes place in the space of a few seconds. First Piccoli’s turn, then the center forward’s attempt in front of goal and then Zortea’s tap-in. All rejected, a scale of miracles. In the 42nd minute a new episode: Piccoli kicks hard again from inside the area, Carnesecchi is reactive to block once more. The first half ends 0-0.

Zaniolo, goals and whistles

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Gasperini intervenes with the substitutions at half-time: Brescianini, Hien and Retegui out, De Roon, Djimsiti and Lookman in. The Dea switches to 3-4-1-2 and Pasalic after a couple of minutes arrives with the wrong step on a loose ball in the area. De Roon gets a “heavy” warning after 4′: he was warned by a booking, he will miss the next match against Empoli. The Dutchman’s intervention forces Luvumbo to leave the pitch. Felici takes his place. In the 10th minute, another opportunity for Pasalic: Ruggeri’s cross and the Croatian is unable to counterbalance the trajectory. Two minutes and Mina tries to head Zappa’s cross, the ball goes out. Atalanta takes courage however: Pasalic-Kossounou exchange in the area with the Ivorian shooting too weak to beat Sherri. At 19′ two more changes from Bergamo: Pasalic and De Ketelaere out for Samardzic and Zaniolo. Which after two minutes gives the Dea the lead. Cross from Samardzic from the left, the ball reaches the other side to Bellanova who crosses for Zaniolo whose left-footed shot to the near post strikes Sherri. Atalanta’s number 10 celebrates in an exaggerated manner under the Cagliari curve according to Pairetto, who warns him. Another two minutes and Lookman hits the post with his classic movement from the left, returning and kicking with his right. Nicola changes in the 26th minute: Obert comes on for Augello and Gaetano for Deiola. Cagliari thus switches to 4-2-3-1. In the 32nd minute Marin and Pavoletti come on for Makoumbou and Zortea. In a few minutes Nicola remodels his team into a 4-4-2 which in possession of the ball becomes 4-3-1-2 with Gaetano “entering” from the left to act as an attacking midfielder. Gasperini, on the other hand, sticks to the 3-4-2-1 with Lookman as the attacking midfielder and Zaniolo (who is whistled every time he touches the ball)-Samardzic as attacking midfielders. In the 40th minute Mina forces Carnesecchi to make another difficult save with a header. Nicola ends the match with three centre-forwards: Piccoli, Pavoletti and also Mina. But nothing changes anymore despite the final siege by the Sardinians and a further miracle by Carnesecchi on Pavoletti. Atalanta wins 1-0 and extends their lead in the table. Stop for Cagliari after three consecutive useful results.