After a disappointing first half, Atalanta were able to mount a comeback in the second half to score two goals and get a 2-1 victory over Chelsea in their UEFA Champions League tie and thereby win only their second game of a total of eight against English clubs. Consequently of the defeat, Chelsea extends its away streak without a victory in this competition to five matches.
The home team made a good start and Ademola Lookman was twice very close to scoring in the opening minutes, but goalkeeper Robert Sánchez and a superb block from Josh Acheampong were able to stop the attempts. Atalanta kept on pressing, but it was Chelsea that took the lead after 25 minutes. After a low cross from Reece James, Joao Pedro, but the goal was subject to a VAR check that confirmed both players were onside.
Chelsea were dominating the game for most of the first half, but Atalanta, who looked dead in the water, came back from the dressing room full of fighting spirit. Lookman had a goal disallowed due to offside, and then Gianluca Scamacca brought down Charles De Ketelaere’s perfect cross to head in and make the score 1-1 in the 55th minute. After the goal, Atalanta completely dominated the game, and they managed to score the winning goal from a shot in which the ball came off the back of Marc Cucurella and then Robert Sánchez and went into the net after Charles De Ketelaere’s driving run and shot.
Despite Chelsea going all out for an equaliser in the dying moments through Alejandro Garnacho and James, Marco Carnesecchi was not to be beaten and thus secured a very important win for the Serie A side.
