Marco Luzzani
AS Roma edged a five goal thriller 3-2 against Atalanta in snow covered Bergamo. The result leaves the Giallorossi on the cusp of the European places, while the Nerazzurri remain six points above the relegation zone.
Goals from Marquinho, Miralem Pjanic and Vasilis Torosidis cancelled out Marko Livaja's brace. The on loan Inter Milan forward fired in his first goals for Atalanta, who had Matteo Contini dismissed late on.
Cristiano Del Grosso sat out a suspension but Giacomo Bonaventura and Davide Biondini returned to the Atalanta side after their bans. Roma travelled without suspended duo Daniele De Rossi and Francesco Totti.
Atalanta took the lead after eight minutes. Marquinhos failed to clear, allowing Giacomo Bonaventura to guide the ball across for Livaja to tuck in on the line. The advantage didn't last long, as just four minutes later Roma drew level. Marquinho picked up the ball in the Atalanta half, ran into the area and curled a shot past the outstretched hand of Andrea Cosnigli.
The blizzard continued and covered the pitch, but that didn't stop Roma taking the lead 11 minutes before half time. Pjanic curled a free kick from the edge of the box over the Atalanta wall and past a static Consigli. The customary yellow ball had to be swapped for an orange one to help with the player's visibility.
A minute before the break, Atalanta pulled level once more. Livaja evaded Torosidis in the box to volley past a frozen Maarten Stekelenburg, with the ball going in off the upright.
The pitch was somewhat cleared during the interval, and the snow finally stopped falling. Roma struck the killer blow on 71 minutes. Torosidis scored his first goal for the club, meeting Michael Bradley's searching cross with a precise header from a difficult angle. The ball travelled across the face of the goal, going over Consigli before nestling into the far corner.
Atalanta's hopes of getting something out of the game disappeared two minutes from time after Contini was given a second caution for carelessly swinging his arm into substitute Simone Perrotta's face.
Atalanta: Consigli; Raimondi, Stendardo, Contini, Brivio; Bonaventura, (Budan 85) Carmona, Biondini, (Cazzola 74) Giorgi; (Lucchini 74) Livaja, Denis
AS Roma: Stekelenburg; Piris, Burdisso, Marquinhos; Torosidis, Bradley, Pjanic, (Florenzi 71) Balzaretti; Lamela, Marquinho; (Perrotta 64) Osvaldo (Tachtsidis 84)
Goals: Livaja 8, 44 (A) Marquinho 12 (R) Pjanic 34 (R) Torosidis 71 (R)
Sent off: Contini 88 (A)


There are 0 Comments. Add Yours.
Shortcuts to mastering the comment thread. Use wisely.
C - Next Comment
X - Mark as Read
R - Reply
Z - Mark Read & Next
Shift + C - Previous
Shift + A - Mark All Read
Comment Settings
Live comment alert: Hide it!
Comments for this post are closed.