Primavera, Atalanta 3-0 Empoli
Simonetto, Bonanomi and Riccio the Nerazzurri on the scoresheet
Back-to-back wins for Atalanta Primavera! After the emphatic Youth League walkover claimed in Bern against Young Boys, the Nerazzurri doubled down with a 3-0 home thrashing in their 2024-2025 Primavera 1 “Trofeo Giacinto Facchetti” MD13 game against Empoli.
After a rather speculative start from both teams, Atalanta nonetheless took an early lead on 11 minutes through Simonetto who, upon cutting inside, homed his ranged shot from outside of the box towards the far away post to break the deadlock and put the Nerazzurri upfront. On the brink of the halftime whistle Simonetto showcased his offensive knack once again, in the guise of assist provider this time, by pulling the strings behind Atalanta's double on 44 minutes, when he flung the ball in from the right flank for Bonanomi's point-blank finish.
Coach Bosi's lads then stretched btheir lead right after the second half's begin with Riccio: after skipping past his markers, the nerazzurro number 8 unleashed a thumping angled-drive from outside the box before nearing his second of the game on 74 minutes, when his headed attempt hissed out to the left side. Despite Empoli's attempt at comeback, the black-and-blue defence proved itself well alert and thwarted Orlandi and Lauricella trouble-free to keep the clean sheet and impose themselves 3-0 at the Carillo Pesenti Pigna in Alzano Lombardo.
ATALANTA 3-0 EMPOLI
Scorers: Simonetto 11 (A), Bonanomi 44 (A), Riccio 48 (A)
Atalanta: Pardel, Gobbo (Ghezzi 88), Simonetto, Riccio (Martinelli 88), Bonanomi (Capac 76), Tavanti, Steffanoni, Armstrong, Camara (Baldo 65), Ramaj, Fiogbe (Idele 76). Unused bench: Zanchi, Isoa, Mencaraglia, Bilac, Bonsignori, Arrigoni. Coach : Marco Zanchi ( in lieu of Giovanni Bosi, sanctioned).
Empoli: Versari, Moray, El Biache (Orlandi 59), Monaco (Majdandzic 59), Falcusan, Trdan, Huqi (Bacciardi 79), Matteazzi, Popov (Campaniello 46), Rugani, Olivieri (Lauricella 59). Unused bench: Viti, Asmussen, Akpa-Chukwu, Giacomazzi, Boldrini, Tavernini. Coach: Alessandro Birindelli.
Referee: Aleksandar Djurdjevic from Trieste (assistant referees: Federico Mezzalira from Varese and Gennantonio Martone from Monza).
Notes: Ramaj (A), Huqi (E), Orlandi (E) booked.