Atalanta stunned the Mapei Stadium into silence on Sunday evening as Charles De Ketelaere scored on his La Dea debut to topple Sassuolo. Gian Piero Gasperini’s side snatched away a late 2-0 win on Gianluca Scamacca’s return to Emilia-Romagna.
Both newcomers started on the bench. However, after a tepid 0-0 scoreline at halftime, Gasperini sent his marquee summer signings on the pitch early in the second half. Duvan Zapata couldn’t do anything noteworthy in his potentially last appearance for Atalanta, with Scamacca taking his place at the hour mark.
After being under contract with Sassuolo for five years before leaving for West Ham last summer, the 24-year-old forward returned to Mapei as a foe. Though the Italian failed to score against his former club, De Ketelaere got off the mark in Serie A in his first appearance for Atalanta.
When it looked like Gasperini’s men could share the spoils with Sassuolo, the Milan loanee got his head on the end of Matteo Ruggeri’s pinpoint cross to break the deadlock in the 84th minute. Despite Andrea Consigli’s utmost effort to thwart De Ketelaere’s header, the goal-line technology came to the 22-year-old’s aid.
He drew a blank in all 40 appearances for Milan last season. However, it took him less than 40 minutes to find the net as a new Atalanta player. Other than a goal, De Ketelaere looked dominant on the field, effortlessly keeping possession and pulling the strings in the front third. If he continues like this, there’s a good chance La Dea will take up the buyout option.
Another former Sassuolo player was under the spotlight this evening. Nadir Zortea came off the bench midway through the second half and scored an absolute thunderbolt from long range in stoppage time to seal a morale-boosting win for Atalanta.
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