Potenza 1-0 Atalanta U23s

Atalanta U23s came away empty-handed after a 1-0 loss to Potenza at the Alfredo Vivarini stadium.

A tough first half for Atalanta U23s, who found themselves on the backfoot from the outset with Petrungaro forcing Berto to concede a corner just one minute in. In the 9th, Vismara came up with a crucial save to deny Novella before D'Auria neared the opener with a dangerous opener that whistled just wide. The Nerazzurri then responded in the 17th with Navarro, who latched onto a Papadopulos pass before bursting into the box and unleashing a left-footed volley, narrowly missing. The breakthrough came in the 26th, when Castorani rose highest on D'Auria's free-kick and headed the hosts into the lead. Just three minutes later, Potenza nearly made it two on a three-on-zero break, with Petrungo fluffing his lines with a tame finish straight at Vismara. Atalanta looked to mount a response late in the half with a neat one-two between Cissé and Cortinovis in the 33rd, with the ball drifting wide of target in the end.

The second half kicked off with substitute Plaia's eleventh-hour block oon Selleri's goal-bound effort. Potenza nearly doubled their lead in the 56th minute, as D'Auria found himself clean through, but Vismara stood tall pushing the whot wide.

Atalanta nearly found a late equaliser in the 79th: Simonetto whipped in a teasing cross from the left for Lonardo, who slid in at the far post but missed the winning touch by a wink. Camara looked to spark a late reaction in the 83rd minute, but his low strike was safely gathered by Alastra. In stoppage time, D’Auria almost doubled Potenza’s lead, but his effort from close range went wide.

POTENZA 1-0 ATALANTA U23s

Scorers: Castorani 26 (P)

Potenza: Alastra (C), Rocchetti (Balzano 72), Felippe, Castorani (De Marco 68), D'Auria, Riggio, Camigliano, Petrungaro (Bruschi 68), Siatounis (Erradi 79), Novella, Selleri (Anatriello 72). Unused bench: Cucchietti, Guiotto, Mazzeo, Schimmenti, Bachini, Maisto, Bura, Ghisolfi. Coach: Pietro De Giorgio.

Atalanta U23s: Vismara, Berto (Plaia 46), Comi, Pounga (Manzoni 63), Cortinovis, Cissè (Camara 79), Guerini, Navarro (Simonetto 63), Levak, Bergonzi (C), Papadopoulos (Lonardo 46). Unused bench: Zanchi, Sassi, Bono, Tornaghi, Steffanoni, Michieletto, Artesani, Leandri, Colombo. Coach: Salvatore Bocchetti.

Referee: Domenico Mirabella from Naples;
Assistant referees: Gianmarco Macripò from Siena and Tommaso Tagliafierro from Caserta.
Fourth official: Gabriele Totaro from Lecce.
FVS operator: Vincenzo Andreano from Foggia.

Notes: Pounga (A), Erradi (P, Fellipe (P) booked