Good evening, I’m Noah Mitchell, and welcome to Jan Breydelstadion where I will cover our first leg of the Champions League knockout phase up against Club Brugge.
This is our first ever meeting with the Belgian side, as we hope to go back to Bergamo next Tuesday with a positive result.
How we line up! A big game for Charles as he faces his former team for the first time tonight!
Focused on the task. #GoAtalantaGo
1′ Mateo gets us underway! #GoAtalantaGo
4′ Settling into the game with plenty of possession. Keep pushing boys! #GoAtalantaGo
6′ First save for Patricio in goal! Great tracking back from Ethan Posch to remove the sting from the shot which made it comfortable for Rui. Christos Tzolis looking lively for the hosts, however. #GoAtalantaGo
Only one Gian Piero Gasperini
Embed from Getty Images14′ Huge recovery from Ederson to prevent a certain goal for Tzolis!
15′ Goal, Club Brugge. Ferran Jutgla fires home. No chance for Rui.
Heads up boys, plenty of time left!
#GoAtalantaGo
Skipper. 380th appearance for our Dutch star. #longevity
Embed from Getty Images18′ First sight at goal for Retegui as we search for that equaliser! However, Mateo mistimes his header and it goes wide. Keep this up Nerazzurri.
22′ Brugge attack but we deal with consecutive corners excellently.
25′ Unlucky Davide! Zappacosta excellently chests down a Bellanova cross before unleashing a volley towards goal. However, he misses the target. More like it! #GoAtalantaGo
28′ Almost! Ethan finds himself in uncharted territory and strikes a stinging effort towards goal which has to be saved. Well on top now. #GoAtalantaGo.
Our big Austrian at the back (and sometimes in attack).
Embed from Getty Images39′ We’re slowing the tempo down to frustrate the crowd. Bellanova looking threatening on the right, but he is unable to find a white shirt with any crosses.
40′ So close Retegui! Lovely footwork from our striker after we win the ball high up the pitch. A cheeky shot with the outside of Mario’s boot goes just wide.
41′ PASALICCC! WE WON’T BE DENIED FOR LONG
Lovely header from Mario to level the scores. Get in boys!
What a cross from Davide from the left and our Croat in midfield perfectly guides his header past a hopeless Mignolet.
We never give up, keep pushing for even more!
HALF-TIME: Regroup boys ahead of another big 45!
Embed from Getty Images46′ Brugge get us underway, can we head back to Bergamo with an advantage?
49′ Chemsdine Talbi with a shot which only troubles the Brugge avian wildlife. Close call that one. Only thing of note as the teams ease into the half.
53′ Phew! That was much closer, this time from Maxim De Cuyper. His shot arrows towards the far corner with Patricio scrambling. Let off for the boys.
Super Marioooo! Let’s try to add to this equaliser which came late in the first half.
Embed from Getty Images62′ Good job this is an early kick-off, any later and this game might be sending me to sleep.
Good shift lads! Making the first moves.
65′ NOOOOO! So close but we are denied twice. First Zappacosta saw his header saved before Lazar Samardzic drove his shot wide after being let in clean through. The goal is coming boys, keep pushing. #GoAtalantaGo
76′ The lack of updates says everything. Still 1-1, 15 to play.
83′ Almost Charles! So nearly a fairytale return for our star as he is found in acres of space on the edge of the box. A lovely strike can’t beat Mignolet in the Brugge goal, however.
85′ Last five. All to play for.
Embed from Getty ImagesFinal roll of the dice. Make an impact, Marco!
89′ What a run Charles! A surging run as De Ketelaere weaves in between Club Brugge defenders. The result corner sees a big chance for Cuadrado, however his curling shot is straight down the throat of Mignolet.
90′ Three additional minutes.
91′ Heartbreak. Penalty for Club Brugge.
Isak penalised for an apparent elbow. Apparent the key word here.
92′ Everyone booked here now for Atalanta, of course.
The VAR could easily get involved, but no, of course they don’t.
94′ Goal, Brugge win it at the death.
Patricio sent the wrong way as Gustav Nilsson wins it from the penalty spot.
FULL-TIME:
Down, but not out. All to play for in Bergamo.
Late, controversial goal sinks the boys at the death. We fought until the end, get ready for another battle Tuesday night back at our place
Head up, Isak!
Thank you for joining me tonight during a disappointing evening in Belgium. Join me again next week as we look to bounce back and advance to the next stage!
#GoAtalantaGo