Santiago Castro became the hero for Bologna, scoring the decisive goal in their 1-0 win over Atalanta in Bergamo during a hard-fought Coppa Italia quarter-final on Tuesday night.
The 20-year-old Argentine forward, who came on as a substitute, made an immediate impact, heading in Charalampos Lykogiannis’ perfectly placed free-kick delivery in the 80th minute.
This victory marks Bologna’s first appearance in the Coppa Italia semifinals since 1999, setting up a two-legged tie in April against the winner of the Juventus-Empoli quarter-final.
The club, which last won a major trophy in 1974, continues to show promise under coach Vincenzo Italiano. Meanwhile, Atalanta played without their Nigerian forward, Ademola Lookman, in this crucial match.
The 27-year-old has been sidelined due to a knee injury which saw him missed the 2-2 draw in Champions League last group phase game in Camp Nou.
Lookman’s absence was felt, as Atalanta struggled to capitalise on their opportunities.
Goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski played a pivotal role in maintaining Bologna’s clean sheet, notably with a crucial save against Raoul Bellanova’s effort early in the second half.
This defeat adds to Atalanta’s recent challenges, having won only two of their last ten matches across all competitions. The team will need to regroup as they continue their Serie A campaign and aim to secure European qualification for the next season.
Meanwhile, Atalanta suffered a major setback ahead of their Coppa Italia quarter-final against Bologna as CEO Luca Percassi confirmed that Gianluca Scamacca and Giorgio Scalvini will undergo surgery and miss the rest of the season.
The Italy internationals, key figures in Atalanta’s Europa League-winning campaign last year, have struggled with injuries since the summer.
Scamacca and Scalvini had already missed most of the current season due to serious knee issues, and their latest setbacks come at a critical moment for the club.
“It’s a great shame,” Percassi told Mediaset before Tuesday’s match. “We’re once again forced to do without two lads who could have done so much for us and who didn’t deserve this.”
Their long-term absences, confirmed just as the January transfer window closed, leave Atalanta with limited options as they navigate the rest of the season.
