Mathieu Warnier, Media365, published on Saturday December 28, 2024 at 10:50 p.m.
At the end of a tight match, Atalanta Bergamo had to settle for a draw point during a trip to Lazio Rome.
Atalanta Bergamo will spend New Year's Eve in the shoes of the Serie A leader. Pressured by Inter Milan's victory in Cagliari earlier this Saturday, the Bergamo team had no room for error on the pitch of Lazio Rome but above all he was very scared. It was the Biancocelesti who were the first to come to the fore. Perfectly served by Mattéo Guendouzi, Taty Castellanos placed a powerful strike from 20 meters but the Argentine striker was unable to hit the target. The threat came a little closer for the Dea when, at the end of the first ten minutes, the former OM player took responsibility but found the target. In the process, Taty Castellanos fell twice on Marco Carnesecchi. Playing counterattacks, Atalanta came close to achieving their goal in the 21st minute. However, Davide Zappacosta's right-footed volley went narrowly to the right of Ivan Provedel's goal. The Stadio Olimpico was finally able to exult as the half-hour mark approached.
Lazio seized their chance
Perfectly thrown behind the Bergamo defense by Nicolo Rovella, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru left the Atalanta goalkeeper no chance with a precise right volley. Trailing, Gian Piero Gasperini's players tried to respond before returning to the locker room but Berat Djimstiti saw the goal slip away on an attempt in added time of the first act. As soon as the restart, the Bergamo bench opened up with Odilon Kossounou and Juan Cuadrado who brought fresh blood. Barely eight minutes after his entry, the Colombian midfielder stood out. Perfectly served on a cross from the right wing and Raoul Bellanova, Juan Cuadrado had the empty frame in front of him at the far post but he did not manage to put the ball into the goal. Very discreet since the start of the match, Ademola Lookman came out of his torpor on the hour mark with a curling right-footed shot which forced Ivan Provedel to relax to get the ball out of the frame. The two teams then decided to launch strong forces for the last 20 minutes as the debates became tense.
Atalanta believed in it until the end
Approaching the last quarter of an hour, Ademola Lookman once again tried his luck but without hitting the target before seeing Luca Pellegrini intervene at the last minute on his line on a strike from the Nigerian at the heart of a confused action in the area of repair of Lazio. Coming into play in place of Mattia Zaccagni, Boulaye Dia came close to giving his team some breathing room. But the former Reims striker came across a bone called Marco Carnesecchi. The last minutes saw the Dea put his foot on the ball with the hope of coming back to the level. Efforts which ended up paying off in the 88th minute. On an action initiated by a pass from Nicolo Zaniolo, Ademola Lookman was able to see Marco Brescianini in front of the Laziale goal. The latter then easily deceived Ivan Provedel to put the two teams back on level terms. The four minutes of added time did not change the situation. Atalanta snatches a draw at the last minute (1-1) and takes a point which allows it to retain first place in the standings ahead of Inter Milan, more pressing than ever. Lazio, for their part, let slip two points which would have allowed them to put Naples in danger in the race for the podium.
