Gianluca Scamacca’s late heroics completed a stunning Atalanta comeback, securing a 2-2 draw against Udinese in a thrilling Serie A encounter.
Seventh-placed Atalanta entered the match at the New Balance Arena on March 7, 2026, aiming to solidify their European push. Udinese, 12th in the table, sought to build on two consecutive victories.
The first half saw Udinese establish a surprising lead. Udinese’s B. Mlacic earned the game's first yellow card in the 20th minute for a tripping foul. Just before the break, Udinese broke the deadlock.
In the 40th minute, Thomas Kristensen found the back of the net. He tucked away a finish after receiving a well-placed assist from N. Zaniolo, giving the visitors a valuable one-goal advantage at half-time.
Atalanta boss Gian Piero Gasperini faced a challenge to ignite his team for the second half. A response was crucial to keep their league ambitions on track against a resilient Udinese side.
The visitors extended their lead early in the second period, stunning the home crowd. Atalanta’s M. De Roon received a yellow card in the 52nd minute for roughing, signaling growing frustration. Only three minutes later, Keinan Davis fired home Udinese's second goal in the 55th minute, making it 2-0.
With a two-goal deficit, Atalanta pushed for a comeback, making multiple attacking substitutions. The tactical changes began to pay off as the home side found renewed energy. Nicola Zalewski's introduction proved impactful.
The comeback started in the 75th minute. Gianluca Scamacca unleashed a powerful strike into the net, assisted by Nicola Zalewski, to halve the deficit. The goal injected belief into the Bergamo side.
Momentum firmly shifted to Atalanta. Just four minutes later, Scamacca struck again. He completed his impressive double in the 79th minute, guiding the ball home to level the score at 2-2 and send the home fans wild.
Statistically, Atalanta dominated possession with 68%, registering 22 total shots, with 4 on target, significantly outperforming Udinese’s 8 shots and 2 on target. Atalanta's Expected Goals (xG) was 1.89 compared to Udinese's 0.77.
This dramatic 2-2 draw sees Atalanta retain their seventh-place position, demonstrating remarkable character to salvage a point. Udinese, despite a strong performance, will rue letting a two-goal lead slip as they missed an opportunity to climb higher in the Serie A table.
