Charles De Ketelaere scored twice to give Serie A leaders Atalanta a huge 3-2 win over Empoli to move two points clear of Napoli at the top of the table.
De Ketelaere scored a dramatic winner in the 86th minute to give Gian Piero Gasperini's side a 13th home win of the season, more than any team in Europe's top five leagues.
But Atalanta fell behind early on when Lorenzo Colombo finished behind Marco Carnesecchi to score his tenth away goal of 2024.
However, parity was restored just after the half hour when De Ketelaere headed home after being picked out by Davide Zappacosta's teasing throw.
Atalanta then took the lead in first-half stoppage time when recently crowned African Footballer of the Year, Ademola Lookman, coolly slotted in from close range.
But Empoli leveled in the 57th minute thanks to Sebastiano Esposito's penalty after Alberto Grassi was brought down in the penalty area by Berat Djimsiti.
And with the match looking set to end, De Ketelaere danced his way into the area before drilling a low shot into the bottom corner to give his side the win.
“We came back against a team that played well,” Gasperini told Sky Italia.
“The two goals conceded were due to loss of concentration and a VAR penalty. Winning (the match) was a great achievement.”
Atalanta's coach was also full of praise for match winner De Ketelaere: “He gained more self-confidence and improved his heading skills, as he showed today.
“The second goal is really extraordinary, coming from a wide position.”
Data debriefing: comfort of home
Gasperini's side have been the star performers in Serie A this season, and their latest victory left them dreaming of winning a first Scudetto title.
And their impressive shape is built in the Gewiss Stadium. Atalanta have now recorded their highest number of home wins in a single calendar year since 1929-30 (19), while they have also registered their highest number of goals (124) since that same campaign 95 years ago (126).
They have also won eleven games in a row for the first time in their history in Serie A. The last two teams to win eleven games in a row went on to win the league (Napoli in 2022/23 and Inter in 2020/21).
And their success this season has been made possible by their star frontline. With Mateo Retegui (14), Lookman (12) and De Ketelaere (10), Atalanta is the only three-player team to have scored at least ten goals in Europe's top five leagues this season.
Comments