Atalanta staged a thrilling late comeback to beat Club Brugge 2-1 in the UEFA Champions League. Despite going behind to a first-half strike from Christos Tzolis, the Italians responded through a Lazar Samardžić penalty and a dramatic Mario Pašalić winner in the closing stages at Gewiss Stadium.
Goals
- 38’ Christos Tzolis (Club Brugge) – A precise finish gave the visitors the lead.
- 74’ Lazar Samardžić (Atalanta, pen) – Converted from the spot to equalise.
- 87’ Mario Pašalić (Atalanta) – Pounced late to complete the turnaround.
Key Match Insights
- Atalanta secured only their fifth home win in the UEFA Champions League from 17 attempts, their first when conceding the opening goal.
- Club Brugge have now lost five Champions League games against Italian opposition, with only England (7) and France (6) sides beating them more often.
- Mario Pašalić’s 87th-minute strike was Atalanta’s latest winning goal in the Champions League, surpassing Luis Muriel’s 84:42 effort for Ajax in December 2020.
Match Commentary
Club Brugge started strongly, with Tzolis finishing off a quick move to silence the home fans. Atalanta grew into the contest, applying pressure after the break. Their persistence paid off when Samardžić converted from the penalty spot following a foul inside the area. With momentum on their side, Atalanta pushed forward relentlessly, and Pašalić found the decisive strike to hand Gian Piero Gasperini’s men a crucial first win of the campaign.
Team Stats
- Shots: Atalanta 20 – 7 Club Brugge
- Shots on Target: Atalanta 3 – 2 Club Brugge
- Possession: Atalanta 48% – 52% Club Brugge
- Passes: Atalanta 477 – 540 Club Brugge
- Pass Accuracy: Both 88%
- Fouls: Atalanta 8 – 10 Club Brugge
- Yellow Cards: Atalanta 2 – 0 Club Brugge
- Corners: Atalanta 7 – 1 Club Brugge
Lineups
Atalanta (3-4-1-2): Carnesecchi; Kossounou, Djimsiti, Ahanor; Bellanova, de Roon, Éderson, Bernasconi; Pašalić; Krstović, Lookman.
Substitutes: Musah, Sulemana, Samardžić, Rossi, Obrić, Brescianini, Sportiello, Maldini, Zappacosta.
Club Brugge (4-2-3-1): Jackers; Seys, Mechele, Ordóñez, Sabbe; Sandra, Stanković; Tzolis, Vanaken, Forbs; Tresoldi.
Substitutes: Romero, Reis, Vetlesen, Meijer, van den Heuvel, Vermant, Nilsson, Osuji, Siquet, Audoor, Diakhon, Campbell.
Managers: I. Jurić (Atalanta), N. Hayen (Club Brugge)
Final Thoughts
Atalanta’s late surge lifted them back into contention in the group, while Club Brugge will be frustrated at letting their lead slip away. The Italians will take confidence from their resilience as they prepare for their next European test.
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