Atalanta 8-2 Salernitana

Goals galore on matchday 18 of the 2022-2023 Serie A TIM, as Atalanta's home game against Salernitana resulted in a resounding 8-2 victory for Gasperini's men at the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo. Thanks to this victory, the Nerazzurri join Lazio on 34 points in fifth place in the league table.

A RESOUNDING FIRST HALF The Nerazzurri got off to a strong start and took the lead in the 5th minute through Boga, who rode three tackles and got a shot away to beat Ochoa with a deflection. After a Koopmeiners chance that was parried by Ochoa, Dia drew Salernitana level on 10 minutes. The visiting goalkeeper denied Lookman in the 12th minute, but Atalanta's pressure started growing and Lookman himself restored the Nerazzurri's lead in the 20th minute after he converted the penalty Fazio had given away for tripping Højlund. Scalvini made it 3-1 three minutes later as he nodded in from Koopmeiners' corner and then Højlund won another penalty, which Koopmeiners failed to convert: Ochoa parried the spot-kick but the Dutchman managed to tap in on the rebound (38'). Before half-time, Højlund added a fifth goal for Atalanta, as he made the most of a de Roon long ball and beat the visiting keeper with a clear-cut angled drive.

GOALS GALORE Lookman's screamer kicked off the second half, as the Nigerian beat Ochoa with a rocket into the top corner from the edge of the box on 54 minutes. Minutes later Salernitana reduced their deficit through Nicolussi Caviglia, but in the 61st minute, it was Éderson who also added his name to the scoresheet with another stunner into the top corner. The match ended 8-2, as Zortea also found the back of the net in the 85th minute with a clinical angled drive. Koopmeiners could have also extended Atalanta's lead on 90 minutes but his finish bounced off the crossbar.

BACK TO TRAINING ON MONDAY No rest for the Nerazzurri, as Gasperini's men will train tomorrow, Monday 16 January, in the morning at the Centro Bortolotti in Zingonia to prepare for Thursday's fixture against Spezia in the round of 16 of the Coppa Italia Frecciarossa.

ATALANTA 8-2 SALERNITANA

Scorers: Boga 5 (A), Dia 10 (S), Lookman pen 20, 54 (A), Scalvini 23 (A), Koopmeiners 38 (A), Højlund 41 (A), Nicolussi Caviglia 56 (S), Éderson 61 (A), Zortea 85 (A).

Atalanta: Musso, Toloi (Demiral 59), Palomino, Scalvini, Zappacosta (Zortea 59), de Roon (Éderson 46), Koopmeiners, Ruggeri, Boga, Højlund (Zapata 64), Lookman (Mæhle 81). Unused bench: Rossi, Sportiello, Okoli, Muriel, Djimsiti, Hateboer, Pašalić, Soppy. Coach: Gian Piero Gasperini.

Salernitana: Ochoa, Lovato (Gyomber 46), Fazio (Radovanovic 72), Pirola (Sambia 86), Candreva, Nicolussi Caviglia, Coulibaly, Bradaric, Vilhena (Kastanos 72), Piatek, Dia (Bonazzoli 72). Unused bench: Fiorillo, De Matteis, Bohinen, Botheim, Valencia, Capezzi. Coach: Davide Nicola.

Referee: Gianluca Aureliano from Bologna. Assistant referees: Andrea Zingarelli from Siena and Dario Garzelli from Livorno. Fourth official: Daniele Paterna from Teramo. V.A.R.: Federico Dionisi from L’Aquila. A.V.A.R.: Oreste Muto from Torre Annunziata.

Notes: Koopmeiners (A) booked.