Game 17, Serie A
Sunday, January 31, 2021
Stadio Gewiss, Bergamo
Atalanta Lazio 1-3
An excellent display by Lazio who dominate in Bergamo and discover their Kosovarian striker may not be made of stone after all.
The world and football were still very much affected by the Covid-19. Matches were being played in empty stadiums but, as they say, the show must go on.
Today, we have two teams with Champions League ambitions for the following year and with only two points dividing them in the table, therefore the game was of vital importance. It was also a chance for instant revenge for Lazio who only four days earlier had lost in Bergamo (3-2) and been knocked out of the Coppa Italia.
The match
A nice, sunny, winter day in Lombardy but with the usual depressing spectacle of empty stands.
The good news for Inzaghi was the return of "Il Mago" Luis Alberto after his appendicitis operation. For Atalanta, Gasperini chose Miranchuk over Pašalić and Zapata over Muriel.
Lazio wore their dazzling fluorescent greenish-yellow shirts and their start was just as bright. After only three minutes they took the lead. A fantastic long-range curling shot into the top hand corner by Adam Marusic put Lazio ahead. Atalanta 0 Lazio 1.
Lazio continued to impress and almost doubled their lead on several occasions. A Sergej Milinkovic-Savic freekick shaved the post and then came an amazing move that has to be described. Immobile, just outside the area on the left, passed to a more central Luis Alberto who, showing his proverbial magical qualities literally hid the ball from four Atalanta defenders displaying audacious skills, then slid the ball back to Ciro Immobile who put in a perfect cross for a Milinkovic-Savic header which hit the post. A fantastic move and goal of the year almost...The first half ended with Lazio a goal up, but they had deserved at least another while Atalanta had been kept very quiet.
The second goal however was on the way. Lazio were playing too well to be leading by a solitary goal. After only six minutes of the second half Lazio scored again. A long kick by keeper Pepe Reina arrived in the centre circle where Immobile headed it on to Joaquin Correa who, beating the offside trap, ran onto it and suddenly had only Pierluigi Gollini to beat, he went around him and from a slight angle left footed the ball into the net. Atalanta 0 Lazio 2, a fairer reflection of Lazio's dominance so far.
Lazio continued to go forward and almost made it three. A clever ball by Milinkovic-Savic put Manuel Lazzari through on the right wing, he entered the area but his shot was well saved by Gollini, who had come off his line and narrowed the angle.
In the 78th minute Atalanta pulled one back and reopened the game. A shot by Muriel beat Reina but came back off the post, Mario Pašalić was in the right place to make it 1-2. Game on.
Game on but not for long. Lazio could not throw away a game played so well and they didn't. In the 82nd minute Milinkovic-Savic again put Andreas Pereira through on the right and the Brazilian, with the keeper coming out, slotted it across to Vedat Muriqi who had the easiest of tap ins. Atalanta 1 Lazio 3 and finally a goal by the Kosovarian striker (he had been paid almost 20 million Euros and had been, let's face it, absolutely awful).
Atalanta had no more energy at this point to even attempt a reaction and Lazio controlled the game for the last ten minutes. A superb display by Lazio who had shown a clear superiority against an in-form Atalanta.
Who played for Atalanta
Gollini, Toloi, Palomino, Djimsiti; Mæhle, De Roon, Freuler (78' Caldara), Ruggeri (46' Malinovskyi); Miranchuk, Ilicic (67' Lammers), Zapata (54' Muriel)
Subs: Pessina, Rossi, Scalvini, Sportiello
Manager: Gasperini
Who played for Lazio
Reina, Patric (38' Musacchio), Acerbi, Radu; Lazzari, Milinkovic-Savic, Leiva (80' Escalante), Luis Alberto (54' Akpa Akpro), Marusic; Immobile (80' Muriqi), Correa (81' A. Pereira)
Manager: Inzaghi
Referee: Chiffi
Goals: 3' Marusic, 51' Correa, 78' Pašalić, 82' Muriqi
Sources
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