Atalanta controlled the tempo of the game, showed solidity in defense and depth on the wings, generating several dangerous approaches to the opponent's goal. The dominance was rewarded in the 27th minute of the first half when the referee awarded a penalty for a foul inside the area, and Gianluca Scamacca took charge of the execution. Buenos Aires, February 5 (NA) -- Atalanta thrashed Juventus 3-0 in a quarter-final match of the Coppa Italia, played this Tuesday in Bergamo, and secured its qualification to the next stage of the competition with authority. The goals for the home side were scored by Italian Gianluca Scamacca, Ghanaian Kamaldeen Sulemana and Croatian Mario Pašalić, in a commanding performance by the team coached by Gian Piero Gasperini, as reported by the Argentine News Agency (NA). From the start of the first half, the Bergamo side imposed its conditions with high pressure and fast ball circulation, unsettling a Juventus that never managed to assert itself in midfield. Juventus tried to react with possession but lacked creativity and barely troubled with long-range shots before the break. In the second half, Juventus pushed its lines up and took greater risks, although that approach left spaces that Atalanta intelligently exploited. The Italian striker finished with precision and opened the scoring, reflecting the home side's superiority in the result. Gasperini's team maintained defensive order and opted for quick transitions, taking advantage of the speed of its attackers. In the 32nd minute of the second half, Kamaldeen Sulemana extended the lead after a fast play that found him well-positioned inside the area, finishing with power to make it 2-0. With the score in their favor and control of the match, Atalanta did not drop the intensity and sealed the deal in the 40th minute of the second half, when Mario Pašalić appeared unmarked in the area and pushed the ball to make it a definitive 3-0. The closing was a clear display of Atalanta's authority, which eliminated a giant like Juventus and dreams of advancing further in the Coppa Italia.
