Atalanta Grind Out Crucial Win to Climb into Champions League Spots

Atalanta faced a stern challenge from already-relegated Salernitana but secured a vital 2-1 victory at Stadio Arechi. This hard-fought win not only extends their unbeaten run to five games but also propels them into fifth place in Serie A, placing them firmly in the Champions League qualification spots.

The visitors, nicknamed La Dea (The Goddess), started brightly, crafting a beautiful passing move that nearly culminated in a goal inside the opening seven minutes. However, Aleksei Miranchuk’s effort went just wide, leaving a sense of what could have been. Atalanta continued to press, with Gianluca Scamacca testing the home goalkeeper, Vincenzo Fiorillo, in the 15th minute. Lorenzo Pirola also made a crucial block to deny Scamacca, highlighting the resilience of Salernitana’s defense.

The home side, despite their relegation fate, provided a surprise. Emanuel Vignato cleverly drew two defenders before feeding Loum Tchaouna, who capitalized on a slight offside lapse to beat the trap and bury the ball past Atalanta’s Marco Carnesecchi. This unexpected goal momentarily stunned La Dea.

Atalanta refused to be deterred. Ademola Lookman had a golden opportunity to equalize after the half-hour mark but dragged his shot wide. Scamacca remained a constant threat for the visitors, but Fiorillo and Salernitana’s organized defense continued to frustrate them. Even a late first-half effort from Scamacca couldn’t find the target.

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The second half began similarly, with Lookman again missing a clear chance after dribbling through the defense. However, the tide turned in the 57th minute. A deep cross from Mario Pasalic found a resurgent Scamacca, who headed the ball home, restoring parity for Atalanta.

Just six minutes later, the comeback was complete. Lookman’s corner found Matteo Ruggeri, whose attempted shot was blocked. The resulting scramble saw the ball fall to Teun Koopmeiners, who displayed remarkable composure to curl a shot from over 25 yards into the bottom corner.

Salernitana refused to go down without a fight. They launched a late surge, forcing a crucial block from Hans Hateboer after Domagoj Bradaric’s strike threatened to spoil Atalanta’s party. Despite their efforts, Tchaouna’s late miss summed up their luck, as Salernitana remained winless in 2024.

Atalanta, meanwhile, will be buoyed by this victory. Not only does it strengthen their Champions League qualification hopes, but it also serves as perfect preparation for their crucial Europa League semi-final second leg against Marseille on Thursday. Gian Piero Gasperini’s men will undoubtedly be aiming to carry this momentum forward as they chase European glory.