The Atalanta Primavera kicked off their pre-season with a victory, as coach Fioretto’s team beat Renate, a Serie C side, 1-0 at the Centro Bortolotti in Zingonia. Vavassori’s goal in the final minutes was the decider of the first friendly of the season.
The first chance came in the 17th minute: Muhameti rolled across for Chiwisa and his shot was parried by a defender. On 23 minutes, the Nerazzurri kept pressing high again, as Chiwisa recovered a ball but was blocked by Drago, who also denied Stabile afterwards. A minute passed and Renate made themselves dangerous with a shot from Larotonda that went just wide. The Nerazzurri responded to it through Muhameti, whose left-foot shot from distance went over and then through De Nipoti, who fired just wide.
In the second half, Fioretto played all the players on the bench. Renate threatened on 62 minutes with a Ghezzi finish that was just wide and the Nerazzurri responded to it two minutes later through Vavassori and Omar, with a header from the Swedish forward that was inches over and a shot from Vavassori that was straight at the goalkeeper on 65 minutes. Pardel rushed out to deny Maistrello on 75 minutes and Maistrello himself fired off target in the 78th minute from a good spot. The deadlock was broken in the 79th minute through Vavassori, who was the quickest to tap home a parried shot. Omar also tried to score in the final minutes but was denied by the goalkeeper and Vitucci’s finish from the edge of the box was off target.
The next friendly match is on Tuesday 26 July against Juventus U23s in Rovetta (5 p.m.).
ATALANTA PRIMAVERA 1-0 RENATE
Scorers: Vavassori 79.
Atalanta Primavera: T. Bertini (Pardel 46), Del Lungo (Saleh 46), Bernasconi (Omar 46), Hecko (Tornaghi 57), Chiwisa (Riccio 57), Muhameti (M. Colombo 57), De Nipoti (Vavassori 46), Bordiga (S. Ghezzi 46), Stabile (Vitucci 46), Perez (Armstrong 46), Tavanti (Truosolo 46). Coach: Marco Fioretto.
Renate: Drago, Ermacora (Maccario 46), Esposito (Comi 46), Silva (Possenti 46), Anghileri (N. Colombo 46), Rossetti (Maistrello 46), Morachioli (Sgarbi 46), Ferrarini (S. Bertini 63), Larotonda (Gavazzi 46), S. Bertini (A. Ghezzi 46), Favero (Marano 46). Coach: Andrea Dossena.
Referee: Riahi from Lovere (assistants Riganò from Chiari and Farina from Brescia).