PASALIC RESCUE A POINT FOR ATLANTA AT THE DEATH OF GAME AGAINST SALERNITANA.

Mario Pašalić struck a late equaliser as Atalanta salvaged a 1-1 draw against Salernitana. ‘I Granata’ were denied a fourth straight league win at the death, leaving them inside the relegation zone, but retaining a game in hand over rivals Cagliari.

With all but one of the last nine league matches involving either club producing a minimum of three total goals, the Gewiss Stadium was bound to witness a fiery encounter between the two sides despite a 30-point gap. Giorgio Scalvini and Remo Freuler created edge-of-the-box chances for the hosts but failed to hit them with any real venom. Salernitana upped the ante and took the lead against the run of play via Éderson Lourenço’s tap-in after a headed pass found him inside the box.

The goal tilted the match in favour of the visitors, who saw more of the ball thereafter, having been dominated for much of the first period. Beginning the matchweek as the only side to have won their last three league matches, Davide Nicola’s outfit looked desperate to win a fourth in succession, knowing very well that their top-flight survival lies in the balance.

‘La Dea’ goalkeeper Juan Musso was called into action almost immediately after the break, as ‘Granata’ midfielder Emil Bohinen unleashed a piledriver of an effort from the left flank, which the shot-stopper thumped away with a brilliant save. Four substitutions within 10 minutes of HT laid bare the frustration of Gian Piero Gasperini as his side flattered to deceive. Those changes did eventually find a way through a stubborn Salernitana backline, who despite holding off for much of the evening fell short at the end via Mario Pašalić’s timely finish right into the bottom-left corner as the FT loomed.

The late equaliser leaves Atalanta with just a single win from their last six outings, remaining in the hunt for a European berth. Heartbreak at the death for Salernitana keeps them rooted inside the bottom three, two points adrift of safety.