2022-23 Season
Game 11
October 23, 2022
Bergamo, Stadio Gewiss
Atalanta-Lazio 0-2
Lazio dominate Atalanta helped by an exceptional performance by Felipe Anderson.
The teams
Maurizio Sarri finally had an entire week to prepare the match and to see what was the best solution regarding the substitution of injured Ciro Immobile. Immobile will probably be out until January. The final decision was to use the team that played after Ciro’s substitution last Sunday. Giampiero Gasperini has Duvan Zapata, Juan Musso and Berat Djimsiti back and fit but not quite ready to play from the start. They will be sitting on the bench.
The match
The teams begin the game cautiously. Lazio try to get control early on but without any apparent rush , Atalanta, as they have always done so far this season, wait patiently for an opportunity to strike.
However everything changes after 10 minutes. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic to Manuel Lazzari who pushes forward on the right wing, ball to Pedro who crosses in low to Mattia Zaccagni who has followed the move and is in the right place at the right time. 1-0 for Lazio.
Two minutes later it should be two. Pedro from the right to Milinkovic-Savic on the edge of the box. His shot is not great but becomes a superb assist for Matias Vecino who however fails to connect. Vecino tries again in the 18th minute from outside the box but his shot is wide.
In the 24th minute, the first chance for Atalanta. Brandon Soppy crosses from the left, the ball goes all the way over to Hans Hateboer unmarked on the far right. His header is high even though it does look as if he is off-side.
Lazio dominate possession and do not let Atalanta anywhere near the ball. Felipe Anderson is literally everywhere. Pressing in attack, in midfield, gets back to defend, makes himself available in attack.
In the 43rd minute another great opportunity for Lazio again with Vecino. Milinkovic-Savic on the left runs towards the box. Once he is just inside he stops, looks around and sees Vecino unmarked coming towards the centre. Ball to the Uruguayan who shoots but the ball is high.
Second half
Gasperini has to do something to wake his team up and try something different to change the course of events, so he goes for the first substitutions between the two halves. Out go Caleb Okoli and Mario Pasalic, in come Djimsiti and Russian Malinosvskyi.
It does not really make much difference. Lazio in the first five minutes of the second half have several corners and Atalanta just cannot get out of their half. In the 50th minute corner for Lazio, Atalanta’s defence clear, but the ball gets to Adam Marusic. Great shot that Marco Sportiello tips over the crossbar.
In the 52nd minute, Zaccagni passes the ball back to Alessio Romagnoli on the left, still inside his own half.The Lazio defender sees that Marusic is about to sprint into an open space. The former Milan captain kicks the ball over the Atalanta players and Marusic starts running. Thirty metres later, Adam gets to the ball, goes into the box and pushes it back to Felipe Anderson. The Brazilian’s magic touch sets up a chance that he does not miss. 2-0 for Lazio. Great goal.
De facto, game over
Zaccagni has a chance in the 57th minute, but his shot from outside the box is saved by Sportiello. Atalanta at this point finally gain some control of the game and Lazio pull back a bit, but apart from a few headers, that cannot seriously be called chances, Lazio manage to control the rest of the game without any problems.
Lazio replace Danilo Cataldi with Toma Basic in the 70th minute, Lazzari with Elseid Hysaj in the 76th and Matteo Cancellieri for an extremely tired Pedro with seven minutes to go.
Atalanta change Soppy for Joakim Maehle in the 64th minute, Ademola Lookman for Zapata in the 71st minute and Ederson for Marten De Roon in the 75th minute.
With one minute to go Luis Muriel is booked for the second time and sent off.
Atalanta lose for the first time this season. Lazio dominate the match, conceding almost nothing, thanks to a splendid all round performance.
Who played for Atalanta
Sportiello, Scalvini, Demiral, Okoli (46' Djimsiti), Hateboer, De Roon (75' Ederson), Koopmeiners, Soppy (64' Maehle), Pasalic (46' Malinovskyi), Lookman (71' Zapata), Muriel.
Substitutes: Musso, Rossi, Zortea, Ruggeri, Boga, Hojlund.
Manager: Gasperini.
Who played for Lazio
Provedel, Lazzari (77' Hysaj), Casale, Romagnoli, Marusic, Milinkovic-Savic, Cataldi (71' Basic), Vecino, Pedro (84' Cancellieri), Felipe Anderson, Zaccagni.
Substitutes: Maximiano, Adamonis, Patric, Gila, Radu, Kamenovic, Marcos Antonio, Luis Alberto, Romero.
Manager: Sarri
Referee: Abisso
Goals: 10’ Zaccagni, 52’ Felipe Anderson
Bookings: Okoli, Soppy, Cataldi, Milinkovic-Savic
Sent off: Muriel (double yellow card)