Hectic end to the game in Bern! Atalanta led twice, happy with a point in the end

Tuesday’s Champions League match between Young Boys Bern and Atalanta Bergamo offered a great spectacle. As Villarreal lost to Manchester United at home, the Italian visitors were able to move up to the second place. They had long sought such a result, even leading twice. However, the home side Young Boys showed once again that they are definitely not just a team to be reckoned with in the Champions League. The situation in Group F has become quite dramatic, with United assured of qualification and Atalanta and Villarreal in a direct clash for the next promotion place.

The first big chance came in the 10th minute. After a quick combination of Freuler and Pasalic on the left flank, the ball reached the whitewash, where Colombian sharpshooter Duvan Zapata was the quickest, with killer instincts. The former Napoli or Udinese striker first tapped the ball in with his left foot and, after a quick turn with his right foot and aided by the defender’s run, he cleared it into the net.

Atalanta had more of the play in the first half despite some chances for the home side. However, after a Palomino header or a poorly handled situation by Pasalic, the home side struck in the 39th minute. A corner kick and a very dangerous centre by Aebischer was eventually best found by striker Siebatcheu.

The visitors were also more active in the second half. Ruslan Malinovsky’s direct kick in the 48th minute was just a warm-up for goalkeeper Faivre. Just three minutes later, Atalanta struck for real. The important header in the whitewash was first won by stopper Demiral, then Mario Pasalic just set up the perfect position for a shot by Argentine defender Palomino. The left-footed shot from the edge of the box beautifully hit the goalkeeper.

Atalanta had several chances to go two goals up and decide the game, for example Duvan Zapata had several opportunities that could have ended in a goal. And so the Young Boys started to punish. 80th minute, a quick free kick and after a quick combination of the Hefti – Moumi Ngamaleu – Sierro axis it was quickly levelled.

A few minutes later, the home side still denied a complete turnaround when they failed to take advantage of a fatal mistake by Atalanta’s defence and Siebatcheu couldn’t hold out in a one-on-one battle against the goalkeeper. However, just a minute later, defender Hefti struck from a respectable distance and it was a really great shot, the cobwebs cleared, the turnaround completed.

But even that was not the last word. Atalanta’s Italian coach Gasperini proved to be a genius when he sent on another experienced Colombian, Luis Muriel, in the 87th minute. Muriel took a direct kick near the corner of the whitewash just after a minute on the pitch and it worked out perfectly. Muriel shot through an inconsistent wall, surprising the goalkeeper at the near post and the score was 3-3.

Source: UEFA