UEFA Youth League MD2, Shakhtar Donetsk 0-3 Atalanta
A double Fiogbe and Camara seal the Nerazzurri's second European win
Second back-to-back win in the 2024-2025 UEFA Youth League for coach Giovanni Bosi's lads: after defeating Arsenal in Caravaggio, the black-and-blue U19s imposed themselves away at the Parkstadion in Gelsenkirchen as the road game against hosting side Shakhtar Donetsk culminated in a 0-3 victory.
Off to a strong start, the Nerazzurri neared the opener already 2 minutes into the game when Bonanomi threatened the opposition but saw his effort fall to the side. Nonetheless, coach Bosi's side broke the stalemate just a few minutes later ( in the 11th to be exact) thanks to Camara: the black-and-blue number 30 went clear in the mano-a-mano and made it 1-0 for Atalanta with a point-blank finish to convert Fiogbe's pinpoint assist, after the black-and-blue striker left two opponents in the dust before prompting his teammate's movement in the box. Despite the hosting retaliation on 31 minutes, Tryfanenko's ranged finish proved itself too feeble to startle Zanchi. Going all out to double the lead, Atalanta threatened once again in the 42nd, once again with Camara, who saw his attempt denied by a great goalkeeping display from Bahlai. The Nerazzurri's second of the game was not long in coming, though: after a scramble in the box, a ricochet fell on Fiogbe, who only had to prod it right before the halftime whistle. With the first half winding up with no extra time at the Parkstadion, the Nerazzurri went 2-0 up at halftime.
In the second half, it only took Atalanta a few minutes to kill the game off as Fiogbe put the cherry on top of the team's great choral display with his second of the game after nodding Tavanti's right-flanked cross with a powerful header to make it 0-3. Despite Shakthar's attempt at bridging the gap on 63 minutes through Lomaha, Zanchi sprung into action once again to defuse the opposition. With the Nerazzurri weathering the black-and-orange storm until the very last second of the game, the match culminated in a 0-3 win for Atalanta after four minutes of extra time.
SHAKHTAR DONETSK 0-3 ATALANTA
Scorers: Camara 11 (A), Fiogbe 45, 49 (A).
Shakhtar Donetsk: Bahlai, Drozd (Reshetnikov 74), Bashmarin (Petruk 74), Kostiuk, Oharkov, Bundash (Tiutiunov 55), Tryfanenko, Smetana (Kostrytsia 69), Lomaha, Tsukanov, Strilchuk (Halonskyi 55). Unused subs: Nedozymovanyi, Reshetnikov, Mylokost, Onishchuk, Kostrytsia, Davydenko. Coach: Oleksiy Belik.
Atalanta: Zanchi, Gobbo, Riccio (Mencaraglia 79), Bonanomi, Tavanti, Bilać, Steffanoni, Bonsignori Goggi (Simonetto 90), Camara (Baldo 72), Idele (Ghezzi 72), Fiogbe (Michieletto 90). Unused subs: Torriani, Sala, Simonetto, Isoa, Artesani. Coach: Giovanni Bosi.
Referee: Michele Beltrano (SMR). Assistant referees: Gian Marco Ercolani (SMR) and Ernesto Cristiano (SMR). Fourth Official: Leonidas Exuzidis (GRE).
Notes: Tavanti (A) and Tiutiunov (S) booked.