Piccoli the Unlikely Hero as Atalanta Snatch Last-Minute Win in Torino

Atalanta, Italian Football, Serie A, Serie A 2021-2022, Torino

On the first day of the new Serie A season, Torino played hosts for Atalanta at Turin’s olimpic stadium. The home side created most of the chances, but their opponents took all three points thanks to an early goal and a dramatic last-minute winner.

New Toro manager Ivan Juric opted for a similar 3-4-2-1 tactical scheme from the one he deployed at Hellas Verona. With Andrea Belotti rested, Antonio Sanabria led the attack, supported by Marko Pjaca and Karol Linetty.

Wilfried Singo took the right wingback role, with the returning Ola Aina on the opposing flank. Rolando Mandragora and Sasa Lukic started in the double pivot.

On the other hand, Gian Piero Gasperini maintained his tried and tested 3-4-1-2 lineup, spearheaded by Luis Muriel and Josip Ilicic. Ruslan Malinovskyi played behind them in the hole.

Robin Gosens and Joakim Maehle started on the flanks, whilst Mario Pasalic and Matteo Pessina started in the middle due to the suspension of Marten De Roon and Remo Freuler.

Muriel didn’t waste time to open his scoring account for the season, breaking the deadlock for the visitors as early as the sixth minute. The Colombian comfortably cut from the right before unleashing a thunderous shot towards the top corner.

Few minutes later, Torino had their first chance of the match, as Pjaca’s cross from the left was met by Sanabria’s header, but the power wasn’t enough to trouble new Atalanta goalkeeper Juan Musso.

La Dea almost doubled their lead thanks to some lovely work from Gosens. The German played a give-and-go with Ilicic before feeding Malinovskyi on the edge of the box, but his shot went high.

From then on, the hosts dominated the rest of the first half, searching hard for an equalizer. Sanabria linked up well with Linetty and the Paraguayan found himself in front of goal, but his weak shot was easily caught by Musso.

In the last minutes of the half, the Granata launched a scattering attack on the Oribici’s goal. However, Aina’s low drive was expertly denied by the former Udinese goalkeeper, and Mandragora’s long-range effort went off target.

The second half started where we left off with Torino continuing to press high in the Atalanta areas. Sanabria received a cross between two defenders, but he just couldn’t direct a good shot towards goal.

At the hour mark, Toro defender Koffi Djidji launched an impressive rocket from the outside of the box, but Musso produced yet another excellent save.

Torino captain Belotti was introduced in the 66th minute, and after 10 quiet minutes, he managed to equalize the score with a little help from Lady Luck. The Euro 2020 winner cut his way through the opposition defenses and launched shot from the edge of the box which was deflected by Maehle and went over Musso, who was finally beaten on the night.

In the 87th minute, another Torino Substitute almost snatched the win, but Simone Verdi’s brilliant curling effort went just wide of the Atalanta goal.

Just when we thought it’s all over, 20-year-old Roberto Piccoli emerged as the hero of the night with a winner at the 93rd minute for Gasperini’s men. The Granata defenders inexplicably allowed the young striker to receive a pass from Pasalic right in front of goal, and he was also granted enough time to coolly slot it past the hapless Vanja Milinkovic-Savic.

Perhaps a draw would have been a fair result, but Atalanta got all three points with a dramatic 2-1 win that would surely lift their spirits at the start of the season.

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