Pašalić and Lookman seal 2-0 victory over Empoli
Win at the Gewiss Stadium
With a goal in each half, the Nerazzurri beat Empoli 2-0 at the Gewiss Stadium on matchday 34 of the 2023/24 Serie A TIM to move to 57 points in the standings.
After El Bilal nodded over and Lookman's shot was deflected for a corner by the Empoli defenders in the opening minutes, and Djimsiti's header flew over the crossbar on 25 minutes, Pašalić broke the deadlock in the 42nd minute, coolly converting the penalty awarded to the Nerazzurri via VAR for Pezzella's foul on El Bilal.
Lookman extended Atalanta's lead to 2-0 early in the second half when the Nigerian striker's run down the left culminated in a daisy-cutter that beat Caprile. The Nerazzurri almost got a third in the 60th minute, first through Lookman, whose shot was blocked by a defender for a corner, and then through Hien, whose close-range effort was parried by Caprile. Hateboer found Miranchuk in the 63rd minute, but his header was weak. Empoli threatened in the 69th minute when Kovalenko hit the side netting. Marin also tried his luck with an 80th-minute shot from distance but Carnesecchi saved it comfortably. More threatening was Cambiaghi’s 89th-minute curler, which ended inches over the crossbar. The Gewiss Stadium match ends in a 2-0 victory for the Nerazzurri.
Tomorrow, Monday 29 April, the team will kick off preparations for the UEFA Europa League semi-final first leg with a behind-closed-doors morning session at the Centro Bortolotti.
ATALANTA 2-0 EMPOLI
Scorers: Pašalić pen 42 (A), Lookman 51 (A).
Atalanta: Carnesecchi, Djimsiti (Kolašinac 57), Hien, Scalvini, Zappacosta, de Roon (Éderson 57), Pašalić, Ruggeri (Hateboer 57) Miranchuk (Koopmeiners 73), El Bilal, Lookman (De Ketelaere 84). Unused bench: Musso, Rossi, Bakker, Adopo, Bonfanti, Comi, Scamacca. Coach: Gian Piero Gasperini.
Empoli: Caprile, Bereszynski, Walukiewicz (Cacace 25), Luperto, Gyasi, Grassi (Marin 62), Fazzini (Kovalenko 62), Pezzella, Maleh (Cancellieri 74), Cambiaghi, Niang (Caputo 62). Unused bench: Perisan, Seghetti, Goglichidze, Shpendi, Destro, Zurkowski, Bastoni. Coach: Davide Nicola.
Referee: Michael Fabbri from Ravenna; Assistant referees: Giorgio Peretti from Verona and Luca Mondin from Treviso; Fourth official: Francesco Cosso from Reggio Calabria; V.A.R.: Daniele Doveri from Roma 1; A.V.A.R.: Marco Guida from Torre Annunziata.
Notes: Luperto (E), Kovalenko (E) and Scalvini (A) booked.