Atalanta’s victory over Polish champions Rakow in the Europa League was secured by headers from Charles De Ketelaere and Ederson. The two goals were enough for Atalanta to advance.
After a Lookman through pass, Muriel tried the goalie’s skills at the near post, and then Lookman deflected a wayward Teun Koopmeiners shot just wide when he perhaps should have left it for Giorgio Scalvini behind him.
Lookman finished a give-and-go with De Ketelaere, and his bending finish was going to go into the top corner of the far post if it weren’t for a flying fingertip save.
Rakow got a foothold in the game, and Milan Rundic made a mess of the free header at the back post from Deian Sorescu’s cross. This happened after a long period of pressure failed to find a breakthrough.
De Ketelaere took a shot from the outside of the penalty area that stung the goalkeeper’s gloves, and Muriel tipped a cross from Davide Zappacosta over the bar from close range.
Although Lookman was sliding in at the back post, he was unable to direct the ball on target after Muriel had sent a dangerous ball across the face of the goal.
The pressure paid almost immediately after the play was restarted when Zappacosta’s cross found its way to De Ketelaere, who scored with a glanced header at the near post giving Atalanta the lead.
After Lookman had a low drive that was palmed off target by Vladan Kovacevic, Teun Koopmeiners blasted the ball over from a difficult angle after giving and taking with the Colombian. Muriel was the one who passed Lookman through on the play.
Ederson was unable to finish his shot, but he made up for it shortly thereafter by heading the floaty cross that Matteo Ruggeri delivered from the left side into the uppermost corner of the goal and Atalanta was in 2-0 lead.
Atalanta believed that they had scored a third goal off of a corner kick when De Ketelaere was thwarted by an Adnan Kovacevic goal-line clearance. The save that had been made with one hand on Berat Djimsiti’s header had come to De Ketelaere.
After a few moments, Rakow had another opportunity to get back in the game when Ben Lederman broke the offside trap, but Juan Musso made a desperate stop to keep them out of it. Once more, De Ketelaere tested Kovacevic from close range, and this time, Ruggeri went over the top.
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