On 9 November, one of the matches of the Europa League in football took place. Atalanta (Bergamo) and Sturm (Graz) met.
Europa League
Atalanta (Bergamo ) - Sturm (Graz) - 1:0 (0:0)
Goals: Jimcity (50)
Warnings: Jon Gorenz Stankovic (45+2).
In a thrilling UEFA Europa League match played at the Gewiss Stadium, Atalanta defeated Sturm Graz 1-0 in a hard fought match. Despite a goalless first half, a late strike proved decisive, which earned the home side all three points. At the start of the match, both teams showed impressive defensive qualities: neither team was able to hit the goalpost during the first 45 minutes. However, as the second half began, the excitement began to build. Just a minute after the start of the second half Atalanta made a substitution, replacing H. Hateboer with D. Zappacosta. This substitution gave Atalanta's attack a new dimension, making the Sturm Graz defence tense. Just five minutes later, the deadlock was finally broken when Atalanta's B. Jimcity hit the target with a magnificent goal. This moment truly energised the Gewiss Stadium, the home side took the lead and rushed forward. "Sturm Graz tried to get back on track with two quick substitutions in the 59th minute. С. Wlodarczyk and W. Boving replaced B. Teixeira and T. Horvath respectively, giving the attack new energy. However, Atalanta's defence did not waver and decided to maintain their advantage.
In the 62nd minute Atalanta also made changes to their line-up, hoping to maintain their advantage. A. Lukman and G. Scamacca came on in place of M. Pasalic and L. Muriel, thus demonstrating the active position of the team in the final minutes of the game. In the closing stages of the match, Sturm Graz made a third substitution: on 79 minutes D. Affengruber replaced M. Fuseini. However, even this time Sturm Graz failed to break through Atalanta's solid defence. When the victory was already close, both teams made the last substitutions in the final minutes. D. Schnegg was replaced by A. Dante in the 86th minute, while T. Kupmeiners came on for Atalanta instead of A. Miranchuk. In the 89th minute M. Bakker replaced E. Holm. The match ended with Atalanta's 1-0 victory over Sturm Graz, which pleased the fans. This hard fought victory showed the determination and resilience of Atalanta, who managed to get the upper hand over their opponent. Sturm Graz, on the other hand, showed tenacity but failed to pick up a single point. It was an exciting match, which emphasises the competitive nature of the UEFA Europa League. Both teams fought hard, but Atalanta won in the end. As the tournament progresses, both teams will be able to learn valuable lessons from this match to continue their European campaign.
In the next round, the following matches await the rivals: Atalanta vs Sporting, Sturm vs Rakuv.
| Atalanta | Sturm | |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Kicks to the goal | 0 |
| 15 | Blows | 4 |
| 7 | Blocked shots | 0 |
| 13 | Penalty kicks | 1 |
| 2 | Kicks from outside the penalty box | 3 |
| 11 | Offences | 20 |
| 8 | Corner | 1 |
| 2 | Offsides | 2 |
| 64% | Ball possession | 36% |
| 0 | Yellow cards | 2 |
| 0 | Red cards | 0 |
| 0 | Keeper saves | 2 |
| 551 | Total assists | 319 |
| 444 | Accurate assists | 192 |
| 81% | Accuracy of passes | 60% |