Atalanta endured a slow start but dominated as the game progressed and secured a comfortable 3-1 win that keeps them in the race for a European berth next season, while Venezia remain drop to the foot of the Serie A table after losing an eighth game in a row.
Venezia got off to an intense start and opened the scoring inside the opening five minutes through Thomas Henry, but his strike was ruled out following a VAR decision. Even though the home side looked better in the early going, it was only a matter of time before Atalanta took control of the action and started creating chances. Luis Muriel, Hans Hateboer and Duván Zapata all had clear scoring opportunities before the 25th-minute mark, but all three failed to hit the target.
Venezia showed signs to turn things around, but Atalanta monopolised possession the rest of the way. ‘La Dea’ would get their prize just before the first half came to a close thanks to Mario Pasalić, who broke the deadlock in the 44th minute when he capitalized on a rebound from inside the box.
The visitors carried the momentum into the second half and only needed two minutes to double their lead thanks to Zapata, as the Colombian striker took advantage of an assist from his national team partner, Muriel, to place the ball past Niki Mäenpää. Muriel wanted his own goal and could have had it in the 58th minute, but his effort rattled the post when the goalkeeper was absolutely beaten. He eventually did get the goal he wanted in the 63rd minute, when he nodded the ball home from close range following a perfect cross from Davide Zappacosta.
Venezia didn’t show enough to believe they could turn things around late in the second half and while Domen Črnigoj pulled one back in the 80th minute, it was not enough to mount a comeback. The hosts had to settle for another loss — their eighth in a row — and further enhanced the belief that they’ll be playing in Italy’s second-tier next season, while Atalanta bounced back from a three-game losing streak and remain alive in the race to clinch a UEFA Europa League berth next season with only a handful of games left in the schedule.
