Torino-Atalanta 2-1: the Granata beat the Nerazzurri and comeback thanks to Ilic and Adams

Turin, 25 August 2024 – After holding Milan in check at San Siro and suffering a mock equalizer in full injury time, Torino makes up for it with interest and in their first home outing they beat Atalanta 2-1 in a comeback, at the end of a spectacular and emotional match. They come and convince the men of Vanoli who, after conceding the 1-0 goal from Retegui in the 26th minute, they were able to react with great personality equalizing the score with Ilic's lob in the 31st minute and then they completed their masterpiece thanks to Adams' first Italian goal, scored in the 49th minute with a tap-in following a rebound by Carnesecchi following a shot by Zapata. A 2-1 which the Granata were then able to defend tooth and nail in the face of an Atalanta who tried to go all out by hitting two uprights and missing a penalty with Pasalic in full injury time.  

The choices of Vanoli and Gasperini

Vanoli doesn't give up on the 3-5-2 with Tameze, Coco and Masina making up the trio of central defenders to protect Milinkovic-Savic. Instead there is Vojvoda on the right in place of Bellanova, sold a few days ago to Atalanta and today absent from the Nerazzurri squad. On the opposite lane, however, Lazaro, with Ricci, Linetty and Ilic forming the trio in midfield. Finally, the surprise up front is Adams, preferred to Sanabria to team up with former player of the day Zapata. Gasperini replies with the usual 3-4-2-1: defending the Nerazzurri goal posts in place of Musso, who could soon end up at Atletico Madrid, is Carnesecchi who has De Roon, Hien and Djimsiti in front of him. Zappacosta and Ruggeri are the wingers of a midfield completed by the pair of midfielders Pasalic-Ederson. Brescianini instead acts in the attacking midfield, behind the attacking tandem of Retegui and De Ketelaere, preferred to Lookman.

First half

The initial momentum is of a grenade nature: Toro plays with great personality, pressing high, trying to get out with the ball and after less than 4' they come one step away from scoring: at the height of an insistent action, in fact , Zapata overlooks Lazaro who comes face to face with Carnesecchi and, slightly unbalanced by the (regular) contact with Zappacosta, shoots high. A shock for Atalanta who tried to react by trying to take control of the game and in the 11th minute responded with Ederson who, launched in depth by Retegui, resisted Tameze's charge and shot from a tight angle, challenging Milinkovic-Savic. Atalanta's game increases and in the 18th minute Retegui tries to take on the role of finisher and, cued in the open field, he skips the Granata goalkeeper but at the moment of the shot he is unable to frame the target of the opponent's goal. However, it is the prelude to the Nerazzurri's lead, which arrives in the 26th minute just a few moments after the "cooling break": it is signed by Retegui himself who collects a cross from the right lane from Zappacosta and with an imperious header crosses the ball and scores it under the crossbar. However, Atalanta's 1-0 lasted only a few minutes, because Toro had the strength to withstand the blow, continue to play with patience and in the 31st minute reaped the rewards: after a nice exchange between Zapata, always invaluable in sorting balls with their backs to goal, and Adams, Ilic is thrown face to face with Carnesecchi and with great coolness overcomes him thanks to a precise "scavetto". The match takes off and before the break the Bergamo players come close to taking the lead again with a double close attempt by De Ketelaere and Ilic.

Second half

The second half starts without changes and with Atalanta who seem determined to control the game but Toro has a different and sly opinion, in the 49th minute, he completed his comeback by scoring the overtaking goal: the action is textbook and sees Ilic collect the throw with Lazaro's counter and promptly serve Zapata who kicks on the fly; Milinkovic-Savic manages to repel the Colombian's attempt but does nothing on Adams' winning rebound which thus scores his first Italian goal. Having conceded the 2-1 goal, Gasperini came off the bench and played the Samardzic card, making his debut for the Nerazzurri, in place of Brescianini. With a dense network of passes, the Nerazzurri try again to take control of the game and in the 60th minute she came close to equalizing three times in the space of a few seconds: Ederson tries first, who forces Savic to take refuge in the corner, and then Pasalic, who hits the crossbar with his head and then Pasalic who forces the opposing goalkeeper into overtime again. However, the response from the Granata was not long in coming and, despite being in trouble, in the 64th minute they became protagonists with a double poisonous attempt by Zapata and Adams, neutralized by the attentive Carnesecchi. A minute later, then, the "Blessed Goddess" turns her back on the Nerazzurri once again, when De Ketelaere soars with a header and hits yet another uppercut from the Bergamo players. Gasperini then decides to revolutionize the Orobic attack by removing a first striker like Retegui and inserting the imagination of Zaniolo to create an unprecedented trident, in which the former Aston Villa player positions himself in the centre. He himself is the protagonist in the 83rd minute of a VAR episode after a melee in the area with Coco, who seems to touch the ball with his arm but in a completely involuntary manner. With the arrivals of Manzoni and Cassa, Atalanta tried to further raise the engine speed and thanks to the latter, who was brought down in the area by Cassa, they earned a penalty kick in full injury time. Pasalic appears on the spot but is hypnotized by Milinkovic-Savic who neutralizes the Croatian's penalty. The Nerazzurri then also have the last chance to regain the equalizer at their feet but in the open field he misses the target, thus allowing Toro to raise his arms to the sky in victory. The little table Turin (3-5-2): Milinkovic-Savic; Tameze (Dembelè from 63'), Coco, Masina; Vojvoda (from 78' Borna Sosa), Linetty, Ricci (from 97' Aaron), Ilic, Lazaro; Adams (from 97' Karamoh), Zapata. All. Vanoli. Atalanta (3-4-2-1): Carnesecchi; de Roon, Hien (from 70' Palestra), Djimsiti; Zappacosta, Pasalic, Ederson (from 84' Cassa), Ruggeri; Brescianini (from 53' Brescianini), De Ketelaere (from 84' Manzoni); Retegui (from 70' Zaniolo). All. Gasperini. Scorers: Retegui (26'), Ilic (31'), Adams (49'). Note - Yellow cards: Ilic, Hien, Pasalic, Djimsiti, Zapata, Milinkovic-Savic.