Atalanta earned a crucial opening victory over Sampdoria thanks to Rafael Toloi and Ademola Lookman.
Both Atalanta and Sampdoria had experienced a summer of significant team changes. In addition to the suspended Jose Luis Palomino and the injured Merih Demiral, Davide Zappacosta, and newly acquired Ederson, Maxime Leverbe was on the Blucerchiati’s suspended list, along with Manolo Gabbiadini and Andrea Conti. After 13 minutes, Samp scored when Mehdi Leris intercepted a pass over the top, got the better of Joakim Maehle, and pulled back for Ciccio Caputo to score from 10 yards. But after a VAR review for the push on Maehle, it was ruled against.
Hans Hateboer rolled the ball across the goal’s face to the back post, and Maehle once more was involved in the action when he miraculously missed to score from a yard, hitting the post. Soon after, Atalanta did score when Rafael Toloi slid in from close range after Mario Pasalic nodded down Duvan Zapata’s difficult-to-hit cross at the back post. In contrast, Caleb Okoli was unable to keep his header at the far post on target while Duvan Zapata and Abdelhamid Sabiri forced saves.
When he grabbed a long ball off Duvan Zapata’s head, Emil Audero just missed going outside of his penalty area. With a fierce free kick that split the wall and struck the base of the far post, Sabiri thought he had equalized. After coming off the bench, Fabio Quagliarella’s low volley skimmed the upright with its cross-face and his right-foot curler brushed the top of the crossbar.
After 89 minutes, Duvan Zapata ran from his own half and whipped the cross in for Ademola Lookman, but it was deemed offside. Atalanta had the ball in the net. Ruslan Malinovskyi assisted Lookman in scoring during stoppage time.
After the the Match, Atlanta stand second in the league with Milan and Sampdoria is at 20th position. Atlanta will face Milan in the next matchday at home stadium at Bergamo.
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