Atalanta 1-1 Bologna

Serie A Week 36 – Stadio Azzurri d’Italia
Atalanta 1-1 Bologna – Guarente 23 (A), Peluso og 78 (B)
Ref: Tagliavento – Missed penalty: Valdes 15 (A) – Sent off: Pellegrino 45 (A)

Atalanta threw it all away, as they missed a penalty, saw a player controversially sent off and scored a late own goal.

This really was the last chance saloon for the Orobici and Bortolo Mutti knew it. “Either we beat Bologna or we can wave goodbye to Serie A.” The Rossoblu had a five-point lead and were the final port of call before the bottom three.

Atalanta had Tomas Manfredini and Paolo Bianco suspended, joining the sidelined Edgar Barreto, Paolo Zanetti, Jose Leonardo Talamonti and Gyorgy Garics. The visitors had Salvatore Lanna out on a ban, plus Mingazzini and Gaby Mudingayi injured.

Simone Tiribocchi put the ball in the back of the net with a volley as the ball dropped over his shoulder, but it was correctly ruled offside.

Daniele Portanova mistimed his sliding tackle on Tiberio Guarente and the referee pointed to the spot. Jaime Valdes stepped up and aimed it through the centre, but Emiliano Viviano hesitated long enough to parry with his legs. Ferreira Pinto tried to follow it up, forcing an acrobatic clearance from defenders.

However, the heroic goalkeeper was at fault soon after when he wandered too far off his line. Guarente saw him and curled the free kick straight under the bar from distance.

Moments later Valdes nearly made up for his penalty miss with a strike that skimmed the upright with Viviano well beaten.

The referee was involved again on the stroke of half-time in a chaotic incident. Max Pellegrino was spotted pulling Portanova down by the shirt for what at first seemed to be a penalty. He was booked, but five seconds later received a second yellow card for using foul and abusive language. However, it was all a waste, as the penalty was not given because the linesman stated the ball had already gone out of play, so Pellegrino got himself sent off for nothing.

10-man Atalanta nearly made it 2-0 on the counter, but a defensive interception was crucial to stop Ferreira Pinto’s cross getting through for Nicola Amoruso.

Ferreira Pinto should’ve had the result under lock and key on 80 minutes when Cristiano Doni threaded through, but he fired wide of the near post.

It proved a disastrous error, but even worse was the mistake by Federico Peluso. The Atalanta defender was distraught, as he scored a comical own goal! Consigli parried an angled drive on to his ankle and the first touch was far too heavy, prodding the ball into an empty net from six yards. Understandably, the defender was in tears.

Atalanta poured forward and Nicola Amoruso’s free kick flashed inches wide of the far post, earning him a bloody head in the process. Despite playing with 10 men, the home side laid siege to the Bologna net. Guarente’s free kick was nodded wide in stoppages, but there was no way back.

Atalanta: Consigli; Bellini, Capelli, Pellegrino, Peluso; Ferrerira Pinto (Chevanton 85), Guarente, Padoin, Valdes (Doni 69); Amoruso, Tiribocchi (Radovanovic 46)
Bologna: Viviano; Raggi (Jimenez 70), Portanova (Adailton 51), Moras, Britos; Modesto, Busce’, Guana, Mutarelli (Casarini 46); Zalayeta, Di Vaio