The Nerazzurri secure Champions League qualification with Lecce win
De Ketelaere and Scamacca seal 2-0 victory away to Lecce
The Nerazzurri won 2-0 at the Ettore Giardiniero - Via del Mare stadium in Lecce in match week 37 of the 2023/24 Serie A TIM to secure qualification for next season's UEFA Champions League with two games to spare. Two early second-half goals from De Ketelaere and Scamacca sealed the victory.
After Falcone had denied Miranchuk in the fourth minute and then saved Pašalić's close-range effort three minutes later, Musso was called into action to deny Piccoli twice. The Nerazzurri responded through Scamacca, who fired straight at the goalkeeper, and El Bilal, who threatened with a cross-shot. Atalanta continued to pile on the pressure, with Toloi poking the gloves of Falcone in the 29th minute before El Bilal fired wide from the ensuing tap-in. Zappacosta also tried his luck in the 39th minute, but his shot went inches wide.
The second half opened with Piccoli setting up Krstovic, who fired over from inside the area. The deadlock was broken in the 48th minute when De Ketelaere came off the bench to give Atalanta the lead after sprinting past a defender and chipping past Falcone. Five minutes later, Miranchuk's corner was met by Scamacca, who nodded in to double the Nerazzurri's lead. Musso did well to turn Piccoli's 88th-minute free-kick around the post as the Nerazzurri ran out 2-0 winners away to Lecce. Gasperini's men will now turn their attention to the UEFA Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen, which takes place in Dublin on Wednesday.
LECCE 0-2 ATALANTA
Scorers: De Ketelaere 47 (A), Scamacca 53 (A).
Lecce: Falcone, Gendrey (Venuti 29), Baschirotto, Pongracic, Gallo, Gonzalez (Oudin 55), Berisha (Blin 55), Ramadani (Rafia 83), Dorgu (Pierotti 55), Krstovic, Piccoli. Unused bench: Brancolini, Samooja, Borbei, Almqvist, Esposito, Burnete, Touba, Samek. Coach: Luca Gotti.
Atalanta: Musso, Toloi, Hien, Bonfanti (Bakker 75), Hateboer, Scalvini, Pašalić (Adopo 68), Zappacosta (Éderson 46), Miranchuk, Scamacca (Djimsiti 62), El Bilal (De Ketelaere 46). Unused bench: Carnesecchi, Rossi, Lookman, Ruggeri, Adopo, Mendicino. Coach: Tullio Gritti (Gian Piero Gasperini suspended).
Referee: Antonio Rapuano from Rimini; Assistant referees: Matteo Passeri from Gubbio and Alessandro Costanzo from Orvieto; Fourth official: Antonio Giua from Olbia; V.A.R.: Daniele Chiffi from Padua; A.V.A.R.: Federico La Penna from Roma 1.
Notes: Hateboer (A), El Bilal (A), Pašalić (A) and Toloi (A) booked.