Empoli-Atalanta 0-2: goals from Hateboer and Lookman

by our correspondent GB Olivero

October 30
– Empoli

Atalanta resumed their run by winning a match managed without worries in Empoli from start to finish. Zanetti’s team has never managed to put Gasperini’s team in difficulty, who scored a goal in time without even having to accelerate the pace. It was not a sparkling performance by Atalanta, but they did everything it took to win without conceding almost anything: in short, the new face of the Nerazzurri who now temporarily overtake Milan and Lazio in the standings.

FIRST HALF

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Zanetti lines up two attacking midfielders (Bajrami and Pjaca) behind Destro and sends Henderson to man on Koopmeiners, while Marin crosses Ederson on his own trocar. Gasperini leaves Zapata initially on the bench preferring Hojlund, Pasalic moves back to midfield alongside Koopmeiners. At 8 ‘first dangerous action by the Nerazzurri: an insidious low shot by Lookman is deflected by Vicario and Hojlund misses the touch with an empty net. At 16 ‘triple opportunity for Ederson who, served by Hojlund, slips into the area, forces Vicario to be rejected, then on Ederson’s tap-in it is De Winter to oppose just before the line and finally the Brazilian’s third attempt is deflected by Cacace. Empoli fails to build almost anything forward, only a mistake by Scalvini allows Destro to try a presumptuous lob that ends up high. At 32 ‘Atalanta took the lead after a long action that starts on the right and is finished on the left before ending again on the right: Scalvini rewards the insertion of Koopmeiners who unloads on Lookman, whose deflected shot becomes a perfect assist for Hateboer who puts on the net from a few steps. Atalanta only risks a shot by Ebuehi deflected in a slide by Demiral and then could double in the 42nd minute: free kick from Lookman, Destro puts his arm in it and the referee Ayroldi whistles the penalty. Koopmeiners goes on the spot and Vicario is very good at deflecting the central conclusion by raising his left leg while he was diving to the right of him.

SECOND HALF

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The second half begins along the lines of the first half. Atalanta manages the challenge as they please and after a few seconds Ebuehi is good at closing on Hojlund served by Lookman. A shot from Marin is the only attempt by Empoli, who witnessed the doubling of the Nerazzurri in the 14th minute. Hojlund pushes the ball forward with an insistent action on the right and serves Pasalic who misses the first touch for Toloi but then manages to direct the ball on the left to Lookman. Gasperini’s striker concentrates and, without any intervention by the Empoli defense, crosses the low shot that closes the game. The rest of the race, in fact, is lived only waiting for the final whistle. Right kicks high from the edge, Zapata (replaced by a good Hojlund) scores offside, Vicario avoids Lookman’s brace with a great intervention, Marin kicks centrally from twenty meters, the referee cancels Ebuehi’s goal for offside after Musso’s save on Walukiewicz’s close conclusion. Atalanta continues to dream, Empoli must instead ask themselves about an absolutely insufficient performance in the offensive phase.