The 23rd matchday of Serie A saw Champions League-winning Atalanta secure their third consecutive victory and fourth in their last five championship matches. Dominating Lazio for over 80 minutes, Atalanta soared into a lone fourth place. The game, held at the Gewiss Stadium, concluded with a 3-1 win for the Bergamo team, courtesy of a goal from Pasalic and a double from the exceptional De Ketelaere. However, Immobile’s late penalty for Lazio proved insignificant. Atalanta, led by Gasperini, left Bologna trailing behind with a total of 39 points, while Sarri’s Lazio, following a goalless draw with Napoli, remained static at 34 points, tied with Fiorentina.
The match kicked off with Dea taking an aggressive approach, exerting pressure in the opponent’s half and creating the first real threat within a quarter of an hour, as Kolasinac headed in Miranchuk’s cross. However, Lazio’s goalkeeper, Provedel, managed a solid save. Shortly thereafter, the Nerazzurri broke the deadlock as Pasalic scored the first goal, receiving an aerial pass from Scalvini after a cross from De Ketelaere. The Croatian skillfully controlled the ball with his chest and volleyed it past the goalkeeper, putting Atalanta 1-0 up. Lazio attempted a comeback before the half-hour mark via a free-kick from Luis Alberto, but the Spaniard’s right-footed shot missed the goalpost.
As the first half was drawing to a close, Atalanta doubled their lead with a penalty from De Ketelaere, awarded for a handball in the area by Marusic. They nearly scored a third goal during injury time, but Holm’s header merely skimmed the crossbar. The second half of the match followed a similar script, with Gasperini’s team showing more hunger for the ball and eagerness to secure their lead. They created several opportunities in the first 15 minutes, the most significant of which was Miranchuk’s blocked shot, following a cross from Pasalic. The final nail in the coffin came in the 76th minute, with De Ketelaere scoring his second goal of the match by skillfully placing the ball in the corner at the near post. In the final minutes, Lazio managed to score a consolation goal from a penalty by Immobile, who was fouled in the area by Djimsiti.
