The players of Atalanta qualified for the round of 16 of the Champions League after beating Borussia Dortmund 4-1 in the second leg of the play-off, compensating for the 0-2 defeat in the first leg.
They scored the goals for the hosts Gianluca Scamacca (5), Davide Zappacosta (45), Mario Pasalic (57) i Lazar Samardzic (90+7-11m), while the scorer was for the visitors Karim Adeyemi (75).
The team he leads Niko Kovac was left with a player less in stoppage time after the tragedy of the match Ramy Bensebaini deflected the penalty kick.
The Algerian defender played a tragic match. He was complicit in the first two goals of the home team, and then, in the moments when extra time was expected, he hid a penalty kick, earning a second yellow card.
It is an Italian composition opened the game very well and already in the fourth minute, Nicola Zalewski threatened dangerously, but Gregor Kobel saved. Just a minute later, Atalanta took the lead. Lorenzo Bernasconi crossed from the left, Ramy Bensebaini tried to clear the ball in front of his teammate Daniel Svensson, but he did it badly and the ball came to Scamacco, who scored from close range to make it 1-0.
In the 24th minute, the hosts threatened again, Zalewski shot from the edge of the penalty area, but the Borussia goalkeeper deflected it into the corner. Five minutes later, the guests threatened for the first time. Julian Brandt shot inside the penalty area, but Marco Carnesecchi was ready.
In the last moments of the first part Atalanta scored the second goal of the gamecanceling the deficit from the first game. Zappacosta shot from about 20 meters away, the ball hit Bensebaini on the way to the goal, deceiving the goalkeeper.
Dortmund could have reduced it in the 48th minute, Serhou Guirassy had a great shot, but Carnesecchi reacted even better. Only a minute later, Mario Pašalić threatened on the opposite side, but he did not manage to catch the ball well, so Kobel made a save.
In the 54th minute, we saw the guests’ best chance until then, Maximilian Beier broke through on the right side, entered the penalty area, and shot, but hit the goal frame. Instead of 2-1, four minutes later it was 3-0. Marten De Roon crossed, and Pašalić headed in to make it 3-0.
The visitors had a great opportunity in the 74th minute, but Guirassy shot badly. However, in the continuation of the action, Karim Adeyemi, who entered the game five minutes earlier, scored brilliantly for 3-1. Everything could have been over in the 82nd minute, Samardžić “turned” his keeper and shot brilliantly, but missed the goal.
When it seemed that the match would go into overtime, Pasalic crossed from the left sideand Bensebaini committed an unnecessary foul by hitting Krstović with his boot, causing his head to bleed. The Spanish referee Jose Maria Sanchez initially pointed to the corner, but after the assistance of VAR, he pointed to the white spot, and the second yellow to the Borussia player. Samardžić was safe from the penalty spot scoring for the pass.
On Tuesday, Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, Bodo Glimt and Newcastle United qualified for the round of 16.
Play-off second legs:
Atalanta – Borussia (D) 4-1 (Scamacca 5, Zappacosta 45, PAŠALIĆ 57, Samardžić 90+7-11m / Adeyemi 75)
(first leg 0-2)
On Tuesday:
Atletico Madrid – Club Brugge 4-1 (Sorloth 23, 76, 87, Cardoso 48 / Ordonez 36)
(first leg 3-3)
Bayer – Olympiakos 0-0
(first leg 2-0)
Inter – Bodo Glimt 1-2 (Bastoni 76 / Hauge 58, Evjen 72)
(first leg 1-3)
Newcastle – Qarabag 3-2 (Tonali 4, Joelinton 6, Botman 52 / Duran 51, Chafarguliev 57)
(first leg 6-1)
(China | Photo: LaPresse/SIPA USA)
