Atalanta hammer Liverpool at Anfield

Gianluca Scamacca notched a brace as Atalanta ran riot at Anfield, defeating the UEFA Europa League favourites Liverpool by three goals to nil.

LINEUPS

LIV XI: Kelleher; Gomez, Konate, Van Dijk*, Tsimikas; Mac Allister, Endo, Jones; Gakpo, Darwin Nunez, Elliott

LIV SUBS: Adrian, Quansah, Bradley, Alexander-Arnold, Robertson, Bajcetic, Clark, Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, Luis Diaz, Salah, Diogo Jota

ATA XI: Musso; De Roon*, Hien, Djimsiti; Zappacosta, Pasalic, Ederson, Ruggeri; Koopmeiners, De Ketelaere; Scamacca

ATA SUBS: Carnesecchi, Rossi, Toloi, Holm, Bakker, Hateboer, Bonfanti, Adopo, Miranchuk, Toure, Lookman

Action: From the off, Atalanta were on the front foot against a Liverpool side that made six changes from their most recent Premier League outing at the weekend. 

Croatian international Mario Pasalic had a glorious opportunity to open the scoring very early on when he shot from around six yards out but he could only strike the face of Caoimhin Kelleher with the ball going behind for a corner kick.

Liverpool began to grow into the game and the hosts did have good opportunities of their own with both Darwin Nunez and Alexis Mac Allister having chances.

The biggest Liverpool chance came after a spell of Atalanta pressure when Curtis Jones released Darwin Nunez but the Uruguay international skewed a toe poked finish wide of the goal.

Liverpool then went very close via Harvey Elliott when the Englishman reacted fastest from a cleared free kick to bend an effort with his left foot against the cross bar and post.

Atalanta, though, were the team to open the scoring just before half-time when former Chelsea defender Davide Zappacosta burst down the right and squared inside for Gianluca Scamacca, who got his effort beyond Kelleher with the Irishman knowing he should have done better.

Atalanta very nearly doubled their lead before the break when Teun Koopmeiners went through on goal but Kelleher did well to close the angle and smother the shot. 

In the second-half, Darwin Nunez once again had an opening but ballooned a left footed effort on the turn way over the Atalanta cross bar. 

Liverpool were made to rue their missed chances when Charles De Ketelaere launched an excellent cross into the Liverpool box and Gianluca Scamacca, beyond the Reds’ defence, did well to stay composed and wait for the ball before directing an effort into the bottom corner on his left foot to make it 2-0. 

Atalanta were running riot and very nearly made it three shortly after when Koopmeiners once again got in but the Netherlands international dragged his left footed effort wide. 

Liverpool thought they had got themselves back into the tie with around ten minutes of the 90 to go when a low Andrew Robertson cross found Mohamed Salah at the back post with the Egyptian finishing confidently and easily but he had strayed offside. 

Then, to make matters worse and potentially give themselves an unassailable lead, Scamacca, on the counter, poked the ball through to Ederson. The midfielder’s effort was saved by Kelleher but Mario Pasalic reacted fastest to slam home the visitors’ third.

Liverpool lose their first game at home since last February... 🤯

Atalanta give themselves a 3-goal advantage in the #UEL quarter-final! 🙌

📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/HkU3qGvFIc

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 11, 2024

The big picture: Liverpool host Crystal Palace at Anfield on Sunday afternoon as they try to keep up the pace with Arsenal and Manchester City but they head to Bergamo with a three-goal deficit. Atalanta came into this on the back of a loss in Serie A and a Coppa Italia semi-final first-leg defeat in the last week or so, so the Bergamasci will be majorly boosted by this result. 

Man of the match: Gianluca Scamacca. Charles De Ketelaere was excellent but two goals and a constant threat means that Scamacca has to be seen as the man of the match.

EVENTS

Kick-off

’38 | GOAL: Scamacca (0-1)

Half-time

’61 | GOAL: Scamacca (0-2)

’79 | DISALLOWED: Salah

’83 | GOAL: Pasalic (0-3)

Full-time