Atalanta defeated Cagliari 2-0 today, on September 24, 2023, in a match valid for the fifth day of Serie A, played at the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo. The goals by Lookman in the 33rd minute and Pasalic in the 76th minute decided the game. In the standings, Atalanta climbs to 6th place with 9 points, while Cagliari, still without a victory in the league, is second to last with only two points.
The match
Right from the start, there was a scare for Atalanta with Luvumbo pressuring Musso after a back pass from Kolasinac, but the Argentine goalkeeper managed to resolve the situation. The first chance was for the home team, with De Ketelaere making a great incursion into the penalty area, but his shot towards the near post was saved by Radunovic. The Rossoblù responded a few moments later with Luvumbo crossing for Shomurodov, who headed wide. In the 22nd minute, Lookman ran down the left side and delivered a ball into the center of the box that De Ketelaere could only push towards goal, but the play was halted for an obvious offside position by the Nerazzurri’s number 11.
In the 25th minute, Lookman performed an extraordinary action. Fed by Koopmeiners, he advanced towards the center from the left, evaded two opponents, and unleashed a powerful shot that hit the crossbar, denying him the joy of a goal. A few moments later, Lookman once again tried his luck from the left side, aiming for the near post, but his shot was saved by Radunovic. The score finally opened shortly after with a beautiful run by De Ketelaere down the right side. The former Milan player entered the box and served Lookman in the center, who scored with a tap-in. Atalanta soared on the wings of enthusiasm and came close to doubling their lead moments later with Ruggeri, but Radunovic made a great save.
In the second half, Ranieri fielded Zappa for Deiola, effectively switching to a 4-4-2 formation. In the 50th minute, Luvumbo tested Musso from a close position, but the Cagliari striker had started from an offside position, and the play was disallowed. In the 61st minute, Luvumbo entered the box and fell after contact with De Roon, but the referee saw no foul, and the replay confirmed it. Atalanta slowed down, and the Rossoblù created another dangerous opportunity with Shomurodov, but his header missed the target. In the 73rd minute, a towering header by Luvumbo released Dossena just outside the box after a corner kick. The defender attempted an acrobatic shot, but the ball went well wide.
However, in the 75th minute, a moment of brilliance led to Atalanta’s second goal: a combination between Pasalic and Muriel and a pass from the Colombian to the Croatian, who cut diagonally and kissed the post before finding the back of the net. In the 81st minute, Cagliari came close to scoring a goal that would have reopened the match: Luvumbo crossed from the left for Oristanio, who turned and unleashed a powerful shot, only to see the ball hit the crossbar.