Free scoring Atalanta hosted Lazio in an empty Gewiss stadium in match day 27 in the Italian Serie A.
It wasn’t about the fourth placed team hosting the second placed team.
The match was billed to be both exciting and entertaining and it surpassed all previous expectations.
First Half
The beginning of the match was everything hoped for prelude to the encounter.
In the 5th minute of the game Atalanta striker Duvan Zapata went agonizingly close to opening the scoring, but it was Matt de Roon who scored a comical own goal to give Lazio the lead.
Jony crossed an inviting ball from the near side in a swift counter which the Dutch international converted in a funny fashion.
Moments later sought after midfielder Milinkovic-Savic, scored an absolute beauty from outside the box to increase Lazio’s lead.
From then on, the game balanced as Lazio allowed Atalanta to settle into the encounter.
Meanwhile, Serie A highest goal scorer Ciro Immobile and Alejandro Gomez were trading missed chances.
Atalanta found the breakthrough in the 38th minute through Robin Gosens thumping header, after Hartobers cross into the box.
Second Half
The home side came out in full force in the second half knowing fully well they needed and fully deserved at least a point.
The pressure paid off as midfielder Malinovskiy hit a screamer, shaking the back of the net with a ferocious shot in the 65th minute.
Both sides made a series of substitutions to help tilt the match in each other’s favor.
The winning goal came in the form of a header from defender Palomino after a perfect corner delivery by Alejandro Gomez.
Miscalculation by Lazio goalkeeper Strakosha left Jose Luis Palomino to head into an empty net.
The end of the match saw series of interesting counter attacking opportunities which Atlanta missed surprisingly.
STATISTICS
Lazio has allowed Juventus to widen the gap between the two of them to 4 points.
Inter Milan who drew earlier in the day with Sassuolo are just 4 points ahead of Atalanta in third position.
Atalanta have now scored 77 Serie A goals this season, equalling their record of goals in a single top-flight campaign (77 in 2018/19).
Alejandro Gomez and co had almost thrice the number of shots Lazio could take (21-8)
UPCOMING MATCHES
Atlanta will go to Udinese on Sunday the 28th if June to continue the push to enter the top 3.
While Lazio will be home to Fiorentina on Saturday the 27th of June.
