Serie A, Atalanta expels ‘Bentegodi’: Koopmeiners decisive

Verona – Atalanta 0-1

Gasperini’s Atalanta deadly at the Bentegodi, 1-0 signed at the beginning of the second half by Koopmeiners, three golden points against an indomitable Verona that crushed the Bergamasks in the first half, failing to concretize its offensive efforts even in the second. Standings: Atalanta 7, Verona 1. Next round (Aug. 31): Atalanta-Torino, Empoli-Verona.

First Half. Balanced start, a scramble in the Hellas area, a conclusion to the side by Veloso. The Veronese look for immediate depth, Lasagna turns on net from a defiladed position, ball just wide. The Gialloblù crush the frayed and distracted Bergamaschi in their own three-quarter. The 1-0 ball passes at Ilic’s feet, low shot from the edge, ends just outside. In the 41st minute the first Atalanta chance: Lookman engages Montipò, who saves for a corner.

Second half. Gasperini inserts Muriel and Ederson who immediately comes to the fore: diagonal shot to the side. Atalanta with a different flair, Verona suffers the cold shower in the 6th minute: Koopmeiners goes off in the central corridor without any hostility, from 25 yards, undisturbed, his low shot ends up in the corner for the orobic lead. Cioffi inserts Hongla. The Gialloblù come alive again with Tameze, another low shot, Musso neutralizes. Hellas grows, Ilic hits a glaring crossbar in the 16th minute. Malinovskyi answers, Montipò saves with his foot. In come Boga and Zortea in Atalanta, newly acquired Hien in the Scaligeri. Zapata and his teammates are dangerous on the throw-in, Zortea forces Montipò into a corner, who also says no to Toloi, failing to close the score. Thus keeping a dangerous Hellas in the game until the end with Musso performing a real feat on the parabola brushed by Lazovic. Five of recovery, triple whistle: 0-1.