Atalanta’s bid for a primary Serie A title continued on Saturday with a club-record tenth straight league win, 1-0 at Cagliari, as Dusan Vlahovic saved Juventus with a last-gasp penalty in a 2-2 draw with backside membership Venezia.
Nicolo Zaniolo made certain Atalanta stayed high of Serie A this weekend with the purpose which determined a hard-fought encounter in Sardinia, the Italy worldwide ahead stroking house the winner from Raoul Bellanova’s cut-back within the 66th minute.
Atalanta, guided by veteran coach Gian Piero Gasperini, have emerged as real Scudetto challengers for the primary time of their historical past and keep two factors clear on the high of the league with closest challengers Napoli on their heels following a 3-1 win at Udinese.
Nonetheless, Gasperini was not completely happy together with his gamers’ performances as, after impressing in Tuesday’s 3-2 defeat to Actual Madrid, they struggled towards Cagliari who’re fifteenth and solely two factors above the relegation zone.
Atalanta, who additionally struck the put up by way of Ademola Lookman virtually straight after Zaniolo’s winner, solely got here away with all three factors because of an excellent efficiency between the sticks from Marco Carnesecchi who made at the very least six nice saves together with one from Leonardo Pavoletti in stoppage time.
“A superb chunk of this crew, not everybody, must develop up a bit and get the identical mentality because the core group of the squad,” stated Gasperini, whose resolution to make three substitutions at half-time was an indication of his dissatisfaction.
Zaniolo’s strike was his third of the season and an extra signal of recent life after a tough previous couple of years, however Gasperini later criticised him for being booked whereas celebrating his purpose, calling “insupportable” him whipping his shirt because it fired up the house crowd.
“We can not afford that each time he scores a purpose he fires up the crowsdand turns our benefit into a drawback… it is already the second time that he is achieved it,” Gasperini informed reporters.
Napoli, lacking injured star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, got here again from a purpose right down to safe the three factors on the Bluenergy Stadium the place they sealed a historic third league crown final 12 months.
– Napoli ‘on proper monitor’ –
Trailing on the break after Florian Thauvin netted on the rebound from his personal saved Twenty second-minute penalty, Napoli roared again within the second half to thrill their massive and loud travelling help with strikes from Romelu Lukaku and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Lautaro Giannetti’s personal purpose.
Napoli are 4 factors forward of Lazio and third-placed Inter, who face off in Rome on Monday night time, and Fiorentina with the Viola at Bologna on Saturday.
“I stated after we misplaced to Lazio (final weekend) that we’re heading in the right direction,” stated Conte to DAZN.
“The crew must preserve enjoying this sort of soccer, dictate the sport, preserve the ball and press when we do not have it.”
Juventus are 9 factors behind Atalanta in sixth after following up on their Champions League win over Manchester Metropolis with an terrible efficiency towards Venezia which was met with loud disapproval from supporters regardless of Vlahovic’s late leveller.
Juve prevented a primary league defeat of the season however a draw does nothing for Thiago Motta’s crew who look miles behind Atalanta not simply in factors but in addition in play.
“Once we play groups that go away us area we are able to assault properly however once we play towards groups that go away little area we’ve issues such as you noticed tonight,” stated Motta.
“We will not keep the place we’re as a result of we’ve the standard to be larger on the desk.”
Vlahovic struck his eleventh purpose of the season from the spot within the fifth minute of stoppage time after Antonio Candela was penalised for handball, however the purpose was met with a mixture of cheers and jeers from pissed off followers who watched their crew’s twelfth draw of the season.
Mikael Ellertsson and Jay Idzes cancelled out Federico Gatti’s Nineteenth-minute opener with two superb headers which put Venezia forward seven with minutes remaining, however a draw leaves them two factors from Como who sit simply outdoors the relegation zone.
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