The Coppa Italia show continues. After Tuesday night’s showdown between Inter and Milan, Atalanta and Lazio gave live to another vibrant Quarter Final match as the Bergamaschi prevailed 3-2 despite playing with one man less for more than 30 minutes.
Gian Piero Gasperini’s side will have to wait tomorrow’s Napoli – Spezia matchup to know who they will face in the Semi Finals of the domestic cup, but confirmed to be experiencing a great state of form as they caught their sixth win out of their last eight games.
For the battle at the Gewiss Stadium, both coaches gave some rest to many of their regular starters. Gasperini lined up José Palomino in defense and Joakim Maehle as right wing-back. Ruslan Malinovskyi and Aleksey Miranchuk supported lone striker Luis Muriel.
For Lazio, Simone Inzaghi deployed a first-time striker duo in Andreas Pereira and Vedat Muriqi, with Ciro Immobile sitting on the bench.
Atalanta drew first blood after seven minutes as Berat Djimsiti was ready to tap the ball in after Pepe Reina saved from a José Palomino shot. Credit to the Albanian center-back for being in the right place at the right time, but it needs to be said that his marked Muriqi made his life very easy in the occasion.
The Kosovar striker, however, redeemed himself 10 minutes later as headed the ball home from a Francesco Acerbi cross to equalize for Lazio. This time, it was Palomino to blame for failing to mark Muriqi properly.
On 34 minutes, Acerbi continued his show as he stole the ball from Matteo Pessina’s feet and progressed into the Nerazzurri‘s area, where he bested Palomino before putting the ball past Pierluigi Gollini with a sharp right-foot shot.
But Lazio’s lead lasted only one minute, as Malinovskyi immediately drew level for the home side, making the best out of a Muriel pass. At the end of a spectacular first half, the score was at 2-2.
Ten minutes into the second period, things could have taken a bad turn for Atalanta: José Palomino knocked down Manuel Lazzari and received his marching orders from referee Luca Pairetto on grounds of a “last man” foul.
Far from demotivating them, the one-man gap seemed to ignite new forces into Gasperini’s black-and-blues. On 57 minutes, it was Cristian Romero to release Aleksey Miranchuk with a fine cross. The Russian made no mistake and took the Bergamaschi ahead once again.
There could have been a fourth one for Atalanta, but Lazio’s Pepe Reina denied Duvan Zapata, who had replaced Malinovskyi, from the penalty spot. The Nerazzurri defense held to the one-goal advantage as Pierluigi Gollini brilliantly pushed back a dangerous Acerbi header, and Vedat Muriqi missed a last gasp chance to draw level again.
MATCH REPORT
January 27, 2021 – Coppa Italia 2020-21 Quarter Finals
ATALANTA-LAZIO 3-2
SCORERS: 7′ Djimsiti (A), 17′ Muriqi (L), 34′ Acerbi (L), 37′ Malinovskyi (A), 57′ Miranchuk (A)
 |
ATALANTA (3-4-2-1): Gollini; Djimsiti, Romero, Palomino; Maehle (88′ Caldara), Pessina, Freuler, Gosens; Malinovskyi (59′ Zapata), Miranchuk (59′ de Roon); Muriel (63′ Toloi) (Rossi, Sportiello, Scalvini, Sutalo, Ruggeri, Gyabuaa, Ilicic, Lammers) Coach: Conte |
 |
LAZIO (3-5-2): Reina; Patric (46′ Parolo), Hoedt (71′ Immobile), Acerbi; Marusic, Milinkovic Savic, Escalante (62′ Correa), Akpa Akpro, Fares (46′ Lazzari); A. Pereira (81′ Lulic), Muriqi (Alia, G. Pereira, Armini, Vavro, Radu, Cataldi, Czyz) Coach: S. Inzaghi |
REFEREE: Mr. Pairetto from Nichelino
NOTES: Yellow Cards: Romero, Malinovskyi (A), Patric, Fares, Escalante (L); Red Card: Palomino (A)