Woodwork and a missed penalty deny Atalanta against Torino

Matchday 2 of the 2024/25 Serie A Enilive had the hosts run out 2-1 winners from the "Olimpico-Grande Torino" stadium at the end of a game that saw the Nerazzurri hit the woodwork twice and miss out on an injury-time chance from the penalty spot. Despite scoring his 3rd goal in two games, Retegui's net didn't suffice.

The game proved itself lively since the opening minutes with the hosts threatening first in the 4th with Lazaro, who finished high from a good scoring position. Atalanta retaliated 12 minutes in with Éderson, who saw his chance denied by Milinkovic Savic with a hockey save instead. On 20 minutes Brescianini built up the Nerazzurri's sortie and ignited Retegui, who after edging past the opposing keeper, still managed to pull off a corner kick. Atalanta eventually broke the deadlock in the 26th following a thunderous header by Retegui to cleave Zappacosta's pinpoint cross into the top corner. The hosts equalised 5 minutes later with a finesse shot by Ilic. 41 minutes on the stopwatch and then came two Nerazzurri chances in a matter of (split) seconds: after De Ketelaere's shot got deflected by Milinkovic-Savic, Zappacosta neared the top corner with a dramatic fireball. In the earth of extra time (48th minute), Hien performed a goal-line save to deny Zapata's headed finishing (even though the hosts' chance allegedly stemmed from a previous off-side in the build-up).

The second half opened up with De Ketelaere on the offensive: after shrugging off his marker, the Belgian unleashed a left-footed scorcher, forcing Milinkovic Savic's last-ditch save to deflect the ball out for a corner. Torino took the lead 49 minutes in as Adams picked up the rebound from Carnesecchi's close-range save on Zapata's point-black shot and got the winning tap-in to make it 2-1. The Nerazzurri neared the equaliser on 59 minutes with a rather frantic play: after Éderson's finish got deflected by the keeper, Retegui hit the bar with a point-blank header before Pašalić saw his headed tap-in smothered by Milinlkovic Savic with a goal-line intervention. The Nerazzurri nailed the woodwork once again 5 minutes later when De Ketelaere's header from Samardžić's finesse pass struck the post. The Nerazzurri had the chance to level the scoresheet well deep in extra-time: despite Atalanta being awarded a penalty after a VAR on-field review as Lazaro tackled Cassa in the box, Milinkovic Savic succeded in denying Pašalić 96-minute spot kick. On 98 minutes it was Carnesecchi who thwarted Zapata before Pašalić went all out with the last chance of the game. As the ball finished wide to the side, the Maroons imposed themselves 2-1 in Turin.

TORINO 2-1 ATALANTA

Scorers: Retegui 26 (A), Ilic 31 (T), Adams 49 (T).

Torino: Milinkovic Savic, Tameze (Dembele 67), Coco, Masina, Vojvoda (Sosa 79), Ricci (Ciammaglichella 98), Linetty, Ilic, Lazaro, Adams (Karamoh 98), Zapata. Unused subs: Paleari, Donnarumma, Sanabria, Pellegri, Sazanov, Pedersen, Dellavalle, Horvath, Balcot, Njie. Coach: Paolo Vanoli.

Atalanta: Carnesecchi, Djimsiti, Hien (Palestra 70), de Roon, Zappacosta, Éderson (Manzoni 85), Pašalić, Ruggeri, De Ketelaere (Cassa 85), Brescianini (Samardžić 53), Retegui (Zaniolo 70). Unused subs: Musso, Rossi, Godfrey, Tornaghi, Riccio, Del Lungo. Coach: Gian Piero Gasperini.

Referee: Mr Antonio Rapuano from Rimini;
Assistant referees: Filippo Meli from Parma and Stefano Alassio from Imperia;
Fourth official: Paride Tremolada from Monza;
V.A.R.: Aleandro Di Paolo from Avezzano;
A.V.A.R.: Michael Fabbri from Ravenna.

Notes: Milinkovic Savic parried Pašalić's penalty on 96 minutes; Pašalić (A), Ilic (T), Hien (A), Djimisiti (A), Zapata (T), Milinkovic Savic (T) and Zaniolo (A) booked.