Second consecutive tie for Atalanta. After the 1-1 draw in Rome against Lazio, Gasperini’s team did not go beyond a 0-0 draw on the pitch of Udinese thus failing to catch up with league leaders Napoli. Compared to the match at the Olimpico, when the Nerazzurri came out on top after a bad first half and found a deserved equalizer at the end, this time the point is fat that drips at the end of a dull performance in which the saves from Carnesecchi and the woodwork hit by the hosts.
«Match report»
Sanchez eats up the lead
In the first 20 minutes tactics prevail, then he takes center stage Sanchez who with a 40 meter assist frees Ehizibue in the area: the winger unloads for Thauvin who from the edge goes one step away from the net: his shot, deflected, goes just wide. On this occasion, Djimsiti clashed with the Dutchman and suffered a head injury with a wound that forced him to leave the field, on his legs, to Hien. The Wonder Boy – his first start in the league – draws football and forces the Goddess to make rough interventions to stop him. In the 32nd minute the Friulian lead seemed to be a done deal: following the development of a corner, Biol he goes for it from a few steps but Carnesecchi has an extraordinary reflex and manages to clear the ball on the line, in two halves. At the end of the half something happens that is rarely seen in football: Kamara’s cross from the left, Sanchez he anticipates everyone and hits the post with his header; the ball returns to the center of the area and the Chilean shoots with a sure shot, but his left-footed shot hits the crossbar and returns towards the spot, where Lovric pounces and with a butt forces Carnesecchi into his second miracle of the day, blocking of the hand between Ehizibue’s legs, one step away from the goal line.
Gasperini’s changes
Gasperini (“Udinese dominated us athletically and in the first half we were lucky not to have conceded a goal”) leaves a disoriented Scalvini in the locker room to introduce Kossuonou. Not even time to settle down and Udinese returned to worrying Carnesecchi, forced to head a header outside the area on the way out. On the short rebound, the usual Sanchez sees the empty net, but is brought down by Kolasinac who gets the yellow. At game time Gasperini definitively loses patience: Lookman (unrecognizable) and Pasalic (impalpable) out and the talents of Samardzic and Zaniolo in.
Sava salva su Samardzic
Runjaic wants the batteries always charged and changes the midfield interiors of Lovric and Payero, inserting Atta and Ekkelenkamp. Atalanta grows and Hien heads wide in the 29th minute. The match of an exhausted – and praised – Sanchez also ends: there is room for Iker Bravo in the last quarter of an hour. The Goddess tries with more continuity but the Udinese defense holds. And in the 94th minute the guests almost didn’t get the 3-point joker: Samardzites he frees himself at the limit and with one of his razors forces Sava into a great save, to save the result and avoid the mockery of the opponents’ only real shot on goal.
Udinese-Atalantas 0-0
Udinese (4-3-1-2): Sava, Kristensen, Bijol, Solet, Ehizibue (6′ st Modesto), Lovric (22′ st Atta), Karlstrom, Payero (22′ st Ekkelenkamp), Kamara, Thauvin, Sanchez ( 34′ st Iker Bravo) (66 Piana, 93 Padelli, 20 Pafundi, 22 Brenner, 23 Ebosse, 27 Kabasele, 33 Zemura, 95 Tourè). All.: Runjaic.
Atalanta (3-4-2-1): Carnesecchi, Scalvini (1′ st Kossounou), Djimsiti (22′ pt Hien), Kolasinac, Bellanova, Ederson, De Roon, Zappacosta, Pasalic (16′ st Saramdzic), Lookman (16 ‘ st Zaniolo), De Ketelaere (36’ st Brescianini) (28 Rui Patricio, 31 Rossi, 2 Toloi, 6 Sulemana, 22 Ruggeri, 27 Palestra). All.: Gasperini.
Referee: Mariani of Aprilia.
Angles: 5 to 3 for Udinese.
Recovery: 3′ e 4′.
Warned: Lovric, Kolasinac, Scalvini for foul play.
Spectators: 21.727.
