Atalanta run riot to take three points in Frankfurt
| Alex Grimm/Getty Images |
With both sides wrestling for control throughout the opening period, Fares Chaïbi had the first meaningful chance of the match, after a cutback from Nnamdi Collins found the Algerian on the edge of the box.
Though the midfielder will have been bitterly disappointed after failing to trouble Marco Carnesecchi, who saw the ball roll into his palms without any real pace.
Die Adler continued on as the better side for large periods of the first half, with Robin Koch heading over and wide from a neat Ritsu Doan cross from the left-hand side.
Though the biggest moments of the first half came in the 34th minute, with Atalanta growing into the clash.
Charles De Ketelaere fired a neat ball towards Ademola Lookman inside the box, before the Nigerian's powerful strike struck the post to the left of Michael Zetterer.
La Dea would come close again just a minute later, with Gianluca Scamacca hitting the same post via an improvised finish with his left foot.
Jonathan Burkardt was forced off for Frankfurt just 10 minutes into the second half, clutching his calf - a major blow for Eintracht, who lost their most reliable source of goals.
Moments later, Atalanta struck. De Ketelaere, once again pulling the strings, clipped a gorgeous ball to the back post, where Lookman arrived to crash home a left-footed volley in the 60th minute.
And, much like London buses, one became two almost instantly. Little more than a minute after the restart, Lookman’s driving run opened the door for the onrushing Ederson, who squeezed his finish past Zetterer.
In a flash, the visitors were two goals up in front of the travelling Bergamasco contingent.
Then, barely two minutes later, De Ketelaere got the goal his performance warranted. Davide Zappacosta’s ball into Scamacca saw the striker rattle the bar with a fierce effort, and the Belgian reacted quickest to slam in the rebound from eight yards.
La Dea remained in firm control for the remainder of the clash, using all of their European expertise gained in recent years to see out the match with relative ease.
They picked up their first win under new head coach Raffaele Palladino, going back to Bergamo after climbing to 10th in the standings.
For Eintracht, they remain winless since Matchday 1 in the Champions League - putting serious pressure on Dino Toppmöller's side as they aim to secure a play-off place.
