Nerazzurri first in the group with 6 points
Atalanta beats Sporting Lisbon 2-1 in a match valid for the second day of group D of the Europa League, played today 5 October 2023 at the ‘Alvalade’ stadium in the Portuguese capital. For the Nerazzurri, Scalvini scored in the first half in the 33rd minute and Ruggeri in the 43rd minute, the hosts closed the gap in the 31st minute of the second half with a penalty from Gyokeres. In the other match of the group Sturm Graz won 1-0 away against Rakow. Atalanta flies to the top of the group with full points with 6 points, followed by Sporting and Sturm Graz with 3 and Rakow last with zero.
The match
Alvalade had a balanced start but as the minutes went by the ‘Goddess’ took control of the game and found the deserved advantage in the 33rd minute, after a splendid team effort with Zappacosta who triangulated with Koopmeiners, sank down the right and put it in the center of the area for Scalvini who flatly beats Adan. Ten minutes later the second goal came with an action on the left wing, with Ruggeri triangulating with Lookman and entering the area, he had his first shot saved by the goalkeeper but was ready for the rebound, scoring his first goal as a footballer professional.
At half-time the home team coach Amorim changes three men and his team takes courage and meters of the pitch despite not building clear scoring opportunities until the 31st minute when they shorten the distance from 11 metres: Scalvini’s hands signaled by the VAR on a close range shot by Diomande, the referee awards the penalty which Gyokeres converts in the 76th minute. From that moment on, Sporting attacked with even more fury and Atalanta slipped on more than one occasion but managed to hold on until the end and took home three very precious points. Gasperini’s team will now face Sturm Graz. They will play in Austria on 26 October, returning to Bergamo on 9 November.
Source-www.adnkronos.com