The Serie A postponed top game between Atalanta Bergamo and Juventus Turin offered a series of highlights, but again no victory for both clubs. So the Lombards in the championship race and the still unbeaten Bianconeri in the fight for the Champions League places continue to tread water.
The Serie A top game between Atalanta and Juventus, which was played this Tuesday, was clearly also marked by Koopmeiners, who also enforced his move from Bergamo to Turin via a strike last summer. It was therefore not surprising that the Dutchman was booed from minute one on ball contacts and actions.
However, there were not many actions by him and his colleagues, because the record champions initially only did defensive work for a long time and organized themselves very, very deeply. Apart from a few goal attempts via de Ketelaere (13th minute) or the very agile Lookman, who failed against Juve goalkeeper Di Gregorio (25th), there was too little return from Bergamo’s point of view.
This did not please coach Gian Piero Gasperini, who had recently had two disappointing league results (1-1 at Lazio and 0-0 at Udine), nor did the final phase of the first 45 minutes. Here, Turin, which was also attacking, suddenly set the tone.
Yildiz Dreh- und Angelpunkt
Above all, the whirling and technically adept Yildiz was the linchpin for the Bianconeri, who made themselves comfortable in Atalanta’s half during this phase. For example, former Schalke player McKennie tested Bergamo goalkeeper Carnesecchi (33) after an introduction by the Turkish national player, before Yildiz himself was blocked in the same minute when Nico Gonzalez, who was also in the attack, fired just past the left post on the left (44).
The former Stuttgart player was called up as a flexible target man in the front line because Vlahovic, who would otherwise be set up front, had to sit this one out (muscular problems).
Koopmeiners, who also sometimes functions as a “false nine”, almost managed to score the 1-0 himself at his former employer, but here, too, keeper Carnesecchi was extremely attentive when Yildiz crossed the ball slightly (45.+2). But it was still 0-0 at the break after a Yildiz bicycle kick (45.+3).
Kalulu gets the better of Carnesecchi
The second 45 minutes were to be even more turbulent – with the record champions continuing to play well and initially being dogged by bad luck. Gatti went close after a good solo run (49′), followed by Kalulu, who saw a header hit the left inside post in the same minute, and McKennie, who was denied by a Carnesecchi clearance on the line (49′).
But after Pasalic failed to hit the post from the edge of the box, Juve took a deserved 1-0 lead. McKennie made a strong run and found the sprinting Kalulu, who finished with his instep from a narrow angle in front of Carnesecchi (54′).
Gasperini changes the equalizer
This spurred Atalanta on again – and they put up a mighty fight. Ederson tested Di Gregorio (57th) before Joker Samardzic (ex-Hertha, ex-Leipzig) also despaired of the Juve keeper (60th) and Lookman was amazed after a splendid save by ex-teammate Koopmeiner (60th). In addition, Ederson fired a shot from distance just over the crossbar (65).
The solution from Bergamo coach Gasperini was therefore to bring on even more offensive power with Bellanova and returnee Retegui, who had last played before Christmas (65). Lo and behold, it paid off in the 71st minute. Bellanova headed the ball centrally for the lurking Retegui, who nodded the ball under the crossbar from close range past Savona’s keeper to make it 1-1. It was already the 13th goal of the season in 18 league games for the Italian international, who joined the club from CFC Genoa over the summer. And because in the final minutes neither Locatelli (83′), Atalanta substitute Zaniolo (84′, saved by Gatti) nor Yildiz (90’+1) could score the 2-1 for one side, the score remained a fair 1-1 on this fast-paced evening.
Which, however, did not do much to underline Bergamo’s ambitions in the Serie A championship race (third draw in a row) or those of the still unbeaten Turin team (13th draw in 20 games) in their Champions League race.
