Atalanta never stops and finds its sixth consecutive Serie A victory beating Udinese 3-2 and thus putting a gap of nine points between himself and Roma. A ranking that in fact allows the orobics to put more than one foot in the next Champions League. The former are decisive: in the first half it hits Tobacco Zapata at 9 ‘, in the second half comes the double by Luis Muriel (71 ‘and 79’). Two goals also for Kevin Lasagna (31 ‘and 87’), but they are not enough for Udinese to oppose Gasperini’s goal machine.
–
THE MATCH
Six league wins in a row, where points are not lost from the internal 2-2 with Genoa on 2 February. Three more goals, with an attack reaching the record figure of 80. And a +9 on the fifth place which makes the conquest of a place in the next one Champions League little more than a formality. This is the moment of Atalanta’s Gian Piero Gasperini, which also collects three points in Udine. And he does it on a far more complicated evening than usual. Further proof of a team not only beautiful, but also damn effective.
The start of the game at the Dacia Arena is crackling: Fofana begins his splendid evening by bucking on the left without Caldara manages to keep up and forces Gollini to the champion parade. On the other hand, Musso is performing a feat on Gomez, served by Zapata after an enveloping action by the Goddess. And at 9 ‘the guests pass, with a stroke of skill of two authentic champions: Gomez invents a launch with the rev counter for Tobacco Zapata, which stops the ball sumptuously, gets rid of Troost-Ekong like a skittle and Torpedo Musso. With the Orobic advantage, the pace of the game drops: the only Malinovskyi seems to want to start a personal battle with Musso, who, however, responds to each of his attempts from distance (one of which even right, his weak foot). However, Udinese is not just seeing, led in particular by a highly inspired Fofana: the Ivorian in fact, it rewards the Lasagna race, laboriously as vainly pursued by Djimsiti. The Albanian, the only defender so far always spared by Gasperini’s rotations, however, does not keep up and Lasagna can easily beat Gollini in the 31st minute. And the same black and white captain does not give an encore a few minutes later, served by the usual Fofana: his lob, however, flies over the crossbar.
Gasperini realizes the wind problems of some of its players and takes action: from the first minute of the second half Palomino takes over Djimsiti, within the next quarter of an hour the moment of other big names like Muriel, Gosens and De Roon starts. Atalanta, however, struggles to find its proverbial fluidity, so much so that the first big ring of the second half is Udinese: Walace tries, but the ball ends up on the bottom of a trifle. After a few minutes, however, the replacements start to pay: De Roon takes his traditional place in the control room, and above all Muriel proves to be an ex completely unable to bow to pity. As already shown with Lazio, Atalanta has become relentless in the last half hour: Muriel he tries for the first time from an almost impossible position and does not create problems for Musso. Then he unleashes himself: in the 71st minute he scores a free kick, climbing over the barrier and putting the ball at the crossroads, then repeated at 79 ‘with a stone of first intention on an assist by Gomez. The usual, inexhaustible Lasagna reopens everything in the 87th minute, scoring the ball crossed by Zeegelaar from the left. But Atalanta holds in the final, and continues not to miss a beat.
The report cards
Zapata 7 – It is not an easy game for him, and it does not build many opportunities for recent habits. But his 1-0 run is to be amazed.
Fofana 7 – The extra man of Gotti. If the game remains open until the end it is for his inventions and the ability to get into the holes of the almost perfect Orobic gear.
Djimsiti 4.5 – It is not possible never to take a breath: Caldara and above all the Albanian prove it. On the occasion of the tie he just can’t keep up with his opponent.
Lasagna 7,5 – Screaming performance sealed by two goals. And the heaviest is the second, given that it comes at a time when few of his believed they could reopen the match.
Muriel 8 – In the first half Malinovskyi (vote 7) had engaged Musso at least three times, then he enters and splits the game in half. However on punishment, specialty of the Ukrainian partner. Much more than a twelfth.
Comfort-Ekong 5 – Tackling the defense of Atalanta is not easy for anyone, right now. The way Zapata lets himself be beaten on the 1-0, though, will remember him for a long time.
THE TABLE
Udinese-Atalanta 2-3
Udinese (3-5-2): Musso 7; Consolation-Ekong 5 (21’st Becao 5.5), Nuytinck 6, Samir 6; Stryger Larsen 6.5 (37 ‘st Ter Avest sv), Walace 5.5, Jajalo 6 (37’ st Nestorovski sv), Fofana 7, Sema 6 (21 ‘st Zeegelaar 7); Teodorczyk 5 (26 ‘Okaka 5.5), Lasagna 7.5. A disp .: Nicolas, Perisan, Mazzolo, De Maio, Ballarini, Palumbo.
All. Gotti 6.
Atalanta (3-4-2-1): Gollini 6; Toloi 6, Caldara 5.5, Djimsiti 4.5 (1 ‘st Palomino 6); Hateboer 5.5 (14 ‘st Gosens 6), Pasalic 5.5 (14’ st De Roon 6.5), Freuler 6, Chestnuts 6; Malinovskyi 7 (7 ‘st Muriel 8), Gomez 7 (35’ st Ilicic sv); Zapata 7. Available: Sportiello, Rossi, Sutalo, Czyborra, Bellanova, Tameze, Colley.
All. Gasperini 7.5.
Referee: Beautiful
Markers: 9 ‘Zapata (A), 31’ Lasagna (U), 26 ‘st Muriel (A), 34’ st Muriel (A), 42 ‘st Lasagna (U)
Ammonites: Becao, Zeegelaar (U), Malinovskyi, Caldara (A)
Expelled: –
THE STATISTICS
Atalanta has equaled its record absolute six consecutive Serie A wins (as in November 2016 and March 2014).
Atalanta did not miss any of the 10 external matches in which she went ahead in this championship (nine wins, one draw), losing only two points once in the score, none lost less.
Atalanta has scored 80 goals in this Serie A setting their own record in a single Serie A championship (previously 77 in 2018/19).
The 80 goals scored by Atalanta in 28 Serie A matches are the best result for a team in the top league from Fiorentina 1958/59 (86).
Tobacco Zapata, scoring exactly at minute 8, made two of his three fastest goals in Serie A at the home of Udinese with the Atalanta shirt (previously after 1’29 ” in December 2018). He only did better against Lazio in December 2018 (on the net after 57 ”).
Duván Zapata took part in seven goals in the six five challenges Championship against Udinese (five goals and two assists): only against Sassuolo (nine, seven goals and two assists) has contributed to more goals in the maximum championship.
Alejandro Gomez is the player who has provided the most assists in this championship, also setting his own personal record (14).
Alejandro Gómez has provided seven assists in his last seven challenges against Udinese in Serie A, four this season. Against no other team he has collected more.
Luis Muriel has participated in eight Serie A goals against Udinese (six goals, two assists): against no other team he did better in the top league.
Luis Muriel made nine substitute goals in this championship, record in Serie A in the era of three points to victory.
Luis Muriel is the player who has made the most multiple scoring as a substitute (3) this season in the top 5 European championships.
Seko Fofana has provided five assists in this championship; as many winning passes as he had collected in the previous three seasons in Serie A.
Second brace in Serie A for Kevin Lasagna: the last one dated back to April 2018 against Benevento.
– .
