Atalanta continued their impressive form with a 2-0 victory over AS Roma, marking their eighth consecutive win in Serie A. The match featured a deflected goal from Marten de Roon and a late header from Nicolò Zaniolo, who scored against his former team.
The Giallorossi were looking to bounce back under the management of Claudio Ranieri after a mixed start to the season. Following a loss to Napoli and a thrilling 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur, Ranieri aimed to secure a positive result at home. With injuries to Mario Hermoso and a suspension for Nicolò Pisilli, Paulo Dybala returned to the starting lineup in a 3-5-2 formation.
Atalanta came into the match with momentum, having won seven straight Serie A games and recently dominating Young Boys with a 6-1 victory. However, they were without key players Davide Zappacosta, Ben Godfrey, and Gianluca Scamacca.
The game kicked off with Leandro Paredes testing Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi early on, followed closely by Manu Koné’s attempt that narrowly missed the top corner. Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman had a goal disallowed for offside as he redirected a volley from Raoul Bellanova.
As the match progressed, Roma had a promising chance when Dovbyk nearly connected with a flick from Dybala but was thwarted by Carnesecchi’s quick reflexes.
Zaniolo faced jeers from the home crowd upon entering the match, reflecting the tension surrounding his departure from Roma. Atalanta eventually broke the deadlock when de Roon’s strike took a significant deflection off Zeki Celik, leaving Roma’s goalkeeper Mile Svilar wrong-footed.
Roma pressed for an equalizer but struggled to convert their chances. Hummels was forced to leave the pitch due to injury, and Bryan Cristante also exited with a muscle issue. Atalanta had another opportunity to extend their lead when Ederson missed an open chance from close range.
In the dying moments of the match, Zaniolo sealed Atalanta’s victory with a glancing header from Juan Cuadrado’s corner, which took a slight deflection off Mancini before finding the net. Celebrating exuberantly in front of the away fans, Zaniolo relished this moment against his former club.
This defeat marks Roma’s fourth consecutive loss in Serie A, while Atalanta continues to solidify their position at the top of the league standings.
Goals: De Roon 69 (A), Zaniolo 89 (A)
Roma (3-5-2): Svilar; Mancini, Hummels (74′ El Shaarawy), Ndicka; Celik, Konè, Paredes, Cristante (82′ Zalewski), Angelino; Dybala (82′ Soulé), Dovbyk (62′ Shomurodov).
Atalanta (3-4-2-1): Carnesecchi; Djimsiti, Hien, Kolasinac; Bellanova (54′ Cuadrado), De Roon, Ederson, Ruggeri ; De Ketelaere (64′ Brescianini), Lookman (64′ Zaniolo); Retegui (54′ Samardzic).
