On matchday 36 of the 2021-2022 Serie A TIM, Atalanta seal their 12th away victory of the season (setting a new record for the club) by beating Spezia 3-1.

The first chance was for the hosts on 13 minutes when Bastoni thumped the outside of the post. The deadlock was broken a few minutes later, as Muriel beat Provedel after combining with Malinovskyi on 16 minutes. Spezia found the equaliser through Verde at the half-hour mark, who ran onto a ball over the top, dribbled past Musso and prodded into an empty net. The Nerazzurri, who wore their third kit, had to do it all over again and had another chance in the 35th minute with Freuler, who prodded just wide from close range and three minutes later Malinovskyi’s shot was deflected off a defender for a corner.

Atalanta kept on pushing in the second half, Muriel skimmed the top corner on 60 minutes and Boga’s free header was inches off target in the 65th minute. Atalanta restored their lead in the 73rd minute from a set piece, as the Koopmeiners free kick was knocked down by Demiral and Djimsiti nodded in to become the 20th Atalanta scorer this season. Boga almost made it 3-1, as he smashed a great strike onto the crossbar in the 80th minute but Gyasi also fired off target on 84 minutes. It was Pašalić then to seal the game in the 87th minute, as he swept it first time into the far bottom corner from Muriel’s assist.

SPEZIA 1-3 ATALANTA

Scorers: Muriel 16 (A), Verde 30 (S), Djimsiti 73 (A), Pašalić 88 (A)

Spezia: Provedel, Amian, Erlic, Hristov, Nikolaou, Maggiore, Kiwior, Bastoni, Verde, Agudelo, Gyasi. Bench: Zoet, Zovko, Bourabia, Kovalenko, Manaj, Reca, Ferrer, Antiste, Salcedo, Sher, Nguiamba, Bertola. Coach: Thiago Motta.

Atalanta: Musso, Zappacosta, Djimsiti, Palomino, Mæhle, de Roon, Freuler, Koopmeiners, Pašalić, Malinovskyi, Muriel. Bench: Rossi, Sportiello, Boga, Mihaila, Demiral, Pessina, Hateboer, Renault, Miranchuk, Cisse. Coach: Gian Piero Gasperini.

Referee: Fabio Maresca from Naples.
Assistants: Niccolò Pagliardini from Arezzo and Davide Imperiale from Genoa.
Fourth official: Luca Massimi from Termini.
V.A.R.: Massimiliano Irrati from Pistoia.
A.V.A.R.: Manuel Volpi from Arezzo.

Notes: Bastoni (S), Maggiore (S), Malinovskyi (A), Freuler (A), Muriel (A) booked.