Goals from Scalvini and Ruggeri decide in a dominated first half. In the second half the Portuguese narrow the gap on a penalty and also get a post
Poetry and then suffering. Thus Atalanta invents the feat that is worth first place in the Europa League. The home of Sporting, first in Portugal and winning on their debut in Europe, was violated with a first half of rare beauty and power. Two defenders score, Scalvini and Ruggeri, emblem of a team that becomes superiority and then embarrassing dominance. In the second half, however, there is also blood, sweat and tears, in the last 20 minutes, when Sporting comes to their senses and attempts a (vain) comeback.
symphony
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The first Portuguese outburst is just smoke and mirrors. Because then the Goddess takes over the match with great ease. Changes in front continue to trigger the wingers, especially Lookman who starts very wide on the left and knows how to attack. In the 5th minute the Nigerian spreads panic in the area but, instead of shooting, he puts it in the middle, nullifying everything. Then it’s Kolasinac who heads a cross from the Zappacosta hammer: the ball, however, goes wide. Sporting retreats and struggles, also because Atalanta is more physical and faster and always gets to the ball first. With the dribble the Goddess gains ground but here, in the last 20 meters, something better should be done. Sporting’s counterattacks don’t sting because behind the blocks they are punctual, while up front the Bergamo players continue to hammer. Only CDK struggles to get into the game, all the others move with sublime synchronicity. The lead was only a matter of time and arrived in the 33rd minute: Koopmeiners verticalized for Zappacosta who put it in the middle from the back where Scalvini found the winning touch. From here we enter dominance mode: Lookman produces two more big chances and then talks to Ruggeri, sending him ahead of Adan. The defender kicks once and then doubles with the tap-in. Atalanta dominates the pitch and the Portuguese are on tilt, heavily booed. The first half ends like this.
resistence
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Amorim inserts Catamo, Coates and Edwards, unable to change ten of them, and we see another Sporting, more toned and proud, compared to the nothingness of the first part. Inacio comes close to scoring with a header, so Gasperini brings in fresh forces with Scamacca and Toloi for De Ketelaere and Djimsiti. The plot is clear: Portuguese boarding and Atalanta intent on managing the important advantage. Pasalic and Holm enter for the tired Ederson and Zappacosta, while the aggressiveness of the Portuguese increases. Speculating is certainly not in the Goddess’s style and therefore she is in difficulty. The last 15 minutes are filled with extreme suffering: in the 76th minute Scalvini touches the ball with his hand in the area, the referee checks the VAR and decrees the penalty which Gyokeres scores, displacing Musso. However, the Nerazzurri goalkeeper then showed off two miracles before being saved by the post from Catamo’s shot. Then the Goddess’ resistance is rewarded.
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