Ademola Lookman and Nicolo Zaniolo struck second-half goals to give Atalanta a 2-0 victory over VfB Stuttgart in the Champions League on Wednesday.
The win saw Atalanta maintain their perfect defensive record in the competition this season, having yet to concede a goal.
Lookman broke the deadlock in the 51st minute, converting a cross from Charles De Ketelaere, and Zaniolo sealed the win with a second goal two minutes from full time, as Stuttgart struggled to break down the visitors’ defense.
The defeat ended Stuttgart’s impressive home unbeaten run, which had stretched for over a year in all competitions.
Meanwhile, Atalanta extended their excellent form, remaining unbeaten in their last eight matches.
The result lifted Atalanta to ninth place in the standings with eight points, while Stuttgart dropped out of the playoff spots, slipping to 27th with just four points.
“We came here with ambition but from there to winning is a long way off,” Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini told Sky Sport.
“These are difficult pitches, Stuttgart had won in Turin against Juventus. It is the way this victory came that gives us confidence. We won with personality.”
The visitors had the bulk of the possession in the opening half but it was Stuttgart who looked the more likely to score, with Anthony Rouault heading over from inside the six-yard box.
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Stuttgart’s best chance of the half came right at the end when Chris Fuhrich’s pass set Deniz Undav up for a shot from close range but he hit the side netting.
Atalanta sent De Ketelaere on at the start of the second half and it was his silky skills which led to the breakthrough as he went past two defenders and his ball across the goal gave Lookman the easiest of tap-ins.
Stuttgart, who had beaten Juventus 1-0 in their last Champions League game, could not find a way past the Atalanta defence, and the visitors wrapped up the win near the end.
Substitute Zaniolo pounced on sloppy Stuttgart defending and in a one-on-one with the keeper he coolly slipped the ball past Alexander Nubel.
Atalanta and Inter Milan are the only two sides in the competition who have not conceded a goal after four games, and Gasperini’s side have put themselves in an excellent position at the halfway stage of the league phase.
“In all the games we have played we have shown solidity and we haven’t suffered much,” Gasperini said.
“We were able to have a good defensive phase and we built the points on that.”
(Reuters/NAN)
