UECL | Atalanta 3-1 Pafos: Dea comfortable victory

· FootballItalia

Atalanta made short work of Pafos to win their opening Conference League game, including Eljif...

Atalanta made short work of Pafos to win their opening Conference League game, including Eljif Elmas after 50 seconds, Giacomo Raspadori’s penalty and Gianluca Scamacca, but paid for it with new injuries.

La Dea began their Conference League campaign proper after the preliminary round against Hapoel Tel Aviv amid an injury crisis , missing Giorgio Scalvini, Franck Kessie, Kamaldeen Sulemana, Isak Hien, Odilon Kossounou and Raoul Bellanova. Their run of three straight Serie A defeats was ended by a 3-1 win over Venezia on Monday, despite the late Eljif Elmas red card.

Pafos were without Nicolas Moumi Ngamaleu, David Goldar, Jay Gorter, Charalampos Kryiakidis and Jajá, but there is a reunion between David Luiz and his ex-Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri. The Cypriot side dropped down to this tournament after losing the Europa League qualifiers to RB Salzburg.

It took just 50 seconds to break the deadlock, as Giacomo Raspadori rolled across from the right, Gianluca Scamacca’s cheeky dummy let it through for Elmas to sweep in undisturbed.

Raspadori went for goal himself with a left-foot curler from the edge of the box, which Radoslaw Majecki had to fingertip round the upright.

Nicola Zalewski sprinted into the box and was pushed over from behind by Bruno Felipe, but when Raspadori converted the penalty by sending Majecki the wrong way, the striker grimaced in pain.

He was forced off moments later with a new muscular injury, replaced by Charles De Ketelaere and adding to the Atalanta crisis.

Pafos should’ve pulled one back when Lele fired wide after being sent one-on-one with Marco Carnesecchi, while Scamacca stung the goalkeeper’s gloves.

The visitors were also forced into a change, as David Luiz limped off with a flexor injury before half-time.

Carnesecchi pushed a Vlad Dragomir free kick round the base of the near post, but Atalanta added a third when substitute De Ketelaere timed a through ball perfectly to release Scamacca, the striker taking a touch to sweep in from 14 yards.

Zalewski’s scorcher from a tricky angle was palmed over the bar and his through ball sent Mario Pasalic clear, denied by a desperate Samy Mmaee sliding tackle.

Carnesecchi spilled an Anderson Silva snapshot and just about got it back under control before it rolled over the line.

De Ketelaere surged forward only for his finish to skim the crossbar, but Atalanta’s injury crisis was evident by the debut of youth academy right-back Javison Idele, moving Zalewski to central defence.

Pafos did get a goal for their trouble in the final minutes, as a cushioned chest assist set it up for Biel to drill under an uncertain Carnesecchi.

Atalanta 3-1 Pafos

Elmas 1 (A), Raspadori pen 18 (A), Scamacca 44 (A), Biel 88 (P)

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