10 March 2024
Juventus made it two seasons without defeat to Atalanta after a 2-2 draw on Serie A Matchday 28 but were left ruing two points dropped.
Trailing by a goal at the interval the Bianconeri turned the game on its head in five second-half minutes. Andrea Cambiaso and Arkadiusz Milik the scorers that gave Juve a 2-1 lead.
However, Teun Koopmeiners scored his second of the game five minutes later to tie the match at 2-2.
THE MATCH
The opening exchanges saw Juventus hem the visitors inside their own half. The first opportunity for Massimiliano Allegri’s side came from a free kick, which Federico Chiesa failed to put on target - a flaw that would be the Bianconeri’s undoing in the first half.
Juve continued to see plenty of the ball and a well-worked move down the right allowed Chiesa the chance to run at the Atalanta defence. The winger’s precise cross was met inside the six-yard box by Fabio Miretti, whose header was parried to safety by Marco Carnesecchi.
Before the half hour, Juventus had spurned another two opportunities from free-kicks at the edge of the opponents’ penalty area. Both Arkadiusz Milik and Chiesa struck their shots into the defensive wall.
At the other end, Atalanta took advantage of a set-piece of their own to open the scoring. While everyone was expecting a direct shot from Gianluca Scamacca, Mario Pasalic rolled the ball to Teun Koopmeiners, who unmarked drilled a left-foot shot beyond Wojciech Szczesny.
Juventus slowly but surely built momentum after the interval, and although the move that led to an effort from Chiesa that brought out a fine one-handed save from Carnesecchi was eventually called back for offside, it signalled Juve’s intent.
In fact, a minute later Chiesa, played through by Milik, dragged his shot wide.
On 55’ Gianluca Scamacca made a decisive tackle on Fabio Miretti, set up after another run by Chiesa, just as the midfielder was set to pull the trigger. The Atalanta forward had just brought out the best in Szczesny with a powerful drive.
Half-way through the second half Juve drew level. Chiesa won possession inside his own half and exchanged passes with Weston McKennie. The US international filtered a teasing ball into the area, which Cambiaso was first to reach, poking his shot under Carnesecchi for the equaliser.
Momentum was with the home side and a second goal duly arrived. Samuel Iling’s cross was chested down by McKennie for Milik, whose half volley was too powerful for Carnesecchi to keep out.
However, five minutes later the visitors grabbed the game’s fourth and final goal. Berat Djimsiti picked out Koopmeiners on the run and the Atalanta midfielder scored his second of the match with another left-foot finish.
Both coaches used their full quota of substitutes, which included a return to action from Moise Kean. The forward came close to snatching a last-gasp winner but neither he nor Federico Gatti could divert a tantalising cross delivered deep into the Atalanta area.
JUVENTUS 2-2 ATALANTA (HT: 0-1)
Scorers: 35’ & 75′ Koopmeiners, 66′ Cambiaso, 70′ Milik
JUVENTUS: Szczęsny; Gatti, Bremer, Danilo; Cambiaso (81′ Weah), McKennie (87′ Yildiz), Locatelli, Miretti (75′ Nicolussi C.), Iling-Junior (81′ Alex Sandro); Milik (75′ Kean), Chiesa. Subs not used: Pinsoglio, Scaglia, Rugani, Kostić, Djalo, Nonge. Coach: Allegri.
ATALANTA: Carnesecchi; Scalvini (66′ Toloi), Hien, Djimsiti; Zappacosta (66′ Hateboer), Ederson, Pasalic, Ruggeri (87′ Bakker); Koopmeiners, De Ketelaere (87′ Miranchuk); Scamacca (56′ Lookman). Subs not used: Musso, Vismara, Palomino, Toure, De Roon, Kolasinac, Adopo. Coach: Gasperini.
Referee: Guida
Bookings: 90+2′ Hateboer
