Atalanta BC and Inter Milan shared the spoils in their Serie A encounter this evening, scoring a goal apiece in the first half to play out a 1-1 draw.
The visitors took the lead after 16 minutes when Ricky Alvarez fired Rodrigo Palacio's knock down past the keeper from close range.
Atalanta were level nine minutes later, however, as German Denis climbed above Walter Samuel to flick a header into the far corner.
You can read how an entertaining night of Italian football unfolded with Sports Mole's live coverage below.
Good evening! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for tonight's Serie A encounter between two in-form teams as Atalanta host Inter Milan. If tonight is anything like the most recent meetings between the two sides, we are in for some goals tonight!
We'll start off by looking at our hosts tonight, and Atalanta will be coming into this match full of confidence after their recent run of form. They began the season very slowly with one win and four defeats in their opening five games, but they have certainly turned that form around in the last month.
Their second victory of the season, a 2-0 win over Udinese, sparked a three-match winning streak that saw them leap up the table and away from the perils of the relegation zone. That run came to an end against Sampdoria on Saturday, but Atalanta will still have plenty of confidence left from it.
They come into this game ninth in the table, which is a significantly better position than they found themselves in just over a month ago. They have 12 points from their opening nine games and would leapfrog Parma and Lazio into seventh place if they could pull off a win tonight.
Scoring goals has been a problem for them this season, however. Their 11 goals for is the lowest tally in the top half of the table, and eight of those have come in the last five games. Still, they have shown on occasions that they are more than capable of finding the net, most notably in a 4-3 defeat to Parma towards the end of September.
One thing that hasn't been a problem for Atalanta is their home form. They have forged a fearsome reputation in front of their own fans, losing just once in their last 10 home games. Even more impressively for a side who wouldn't go into every match expecting to win, eight of those 10 matches have resulted in them emerging victorious, with one draw.
They will come up against one of their sternest tests of the season in Inter Milan tonight, however. Walter Mazzarri's side had a little wobble during October but still come into this match well placed to challenge for a spot amongst Europe's elite once again.
That wobble saw Inter draw two games against sides that they would have expected to beat in Cagliari and Torino, as well as a loss to Roma, although there is no shame in that defeat given the form Roma are in this season. Their last outing saw them return to winning ways as they comfortably beat Hellas Verona 4-2 at the San Siro.
Inter come into this match in fourth place and, although they can't move any higher in the table this evening, they will be keen to pick up a win to open up a three-point gap between themselves and fifth-placed Fiorentina. They are nine points off leaders Roma, who have made a perfect start to the season, but a win tonight would see them move within one point of second and third place.
While scoring goals has been a bit of a problem of Atalanta this season, the same cannot be said of Inter. No side has scored more goals than them in Serie A this season, with Roma being the only team able to match their 23 goals so far. They have found the net seven times in their last two games, and not long ago reached the same tally in a single game when they thrashed Sassuolo 7-0.
Their immediate form isn't great, with just one win in their last four matches, but on the flip side that defeat to Roma is their one and only loss of the season so far. They have played 10 matches in all competitions in the current campaign, winning six, drawing three and losing just the one.
They are also undefeated away from home this season, although they have had fairly mixed results. Their opening two away games saw them pick up maximum points, scoring 10 goals and conceding none, but their most recent two have both ended in disappointing draws.
ATALANTA STARTING XI: Consigli; Yepes, Canini, Stendardo; Raimondi, Cigarini, Carmona, Brivio, Moralez; Livaja, Denis
ATALANTA SUBS: Scaloni, Migliaccio, Polito, Baselli, Del Grosso, Cazzola, Gagliardini, Marilungo, Kone, De Luca, Frezzolini
INTER STARTING XI: Handanovic; Samuel, Rolando, Juan; Jonathan, Guarin, Kovacic, Cambiasso, Nagatomo; Alvarez; Palacio
INTER SUBS: Andreolli, Icardi, Castellazzi, Mudingayi, Kuzmanovic, Wallace, Taider, Ranocchia, Carrizo, Pereira, Donkor, Olsen
PREDICTION: We're nearing kickoff in Bergamo, which means that it is time for my match prediction. Inter come into this game as favourites, but their consecutive away draws against teams at a similar level to Atalanta will give the hosts plenty of hope. They will not make it easy for their more illustrious opponents and a result for the hosts is certainly a possibility, but I think Inter will have enough about them to pick up the win tonight. 2-1 to the visitors.
Palacio will be the key man for Inter Milan if they are to come away from this match with a win tonight. The striker is in fine form and particularly likes playing against Atalanta. Denis, meanwhile, will be the key man for Atalanta. He has scored more goals against Inter than against any other side in Serie A, including a hat-trick in Atalanta's 4-3 win at the San Siro last season.
Inter Milan have not beaten Atalanta since 2010, and that winless streak stretches even further back when you only look at matches here in Bergamo. The last time they won here was all the way back in 2008. This is not going to be an easy match for them tonight.
KICKOFF: Inter get us underway in this match and immediately hoof the ball upfield, which seems like a big waste of the ball early on for me. There is a great atmosphere inside this stadium at the moment, which is not something that you can always say about Atalanta.
Atalanta have won a couple of early free kicks here as they look to get into Inter early on. Cigarini lines up the latest free kick from all of 40 yards out, but his delivery hits the foot of the wall. Terrible free kick.
Inter have a chance to break quickly from a corner and Jonathan looks for Palacio with a long, sweeping pass from right to left. The striker is forced out wide but manages to cut it back to Guarin on the edge of the box, but his first touch was poor and the defence were able to clear. He had space to work with there if he had taken a better touch.
Guarin has another chance from the edge of the box, and this time he takes the shot first time, trying to bend Jonathan's cutback into the top corner. The shot takes a deflection on its way through which robs it of the power but puts a wicked spin on the ball, causing the keeper to just shovel it out for a corner.
Lovely touch from Kovacic as he plays Nagamoto in behind the defence, but the wing-back's pass into the box is cut out just in time. That was a very important interception.
At the other end, Samuel makes a similarly important interception on an Atalanta cut-back. This has been a very lively start to the game, with both sides looking to attack at every available opportunity.
OFF THE LINE! Brilliant defending from Guarin as he denies Atalanta a certain goal! It was shaky from the Inter defence initially as Handanovic made a meal of Cigarini's low free kick into the box. The ball bounced up to Canini, who headed it into what looked like an empty net until Guarin made a vital clearance off the line.
Cigarini probably should have scored that effort but, in truth, it is hard to see what more he could have done. He didn't have much time to react to the rebound and his header was good enough, but Guarin was simply in the right place at the right time.
Cigarini probably should have scored that effort but, in truth, it is hard to see what more he could have done. He didn't have much time to react to the rebound and his header was good enough, but Guarin was simply in the right place at the right time.
Kovacic advances to the edge of the box but takes one touch too many, which gives the defence the opportunity to block his eventual shot. The ball is worked out to Jonathan on the right, but he slices a wild shot well wide from a tight angle having moved into the box.
GOAL! Atalanta 0-1 Inter Milan (Ricky Alvarez)
Inter's pressure had been starting to build in the last couple of minutes and they make it pay with the opening goal. Kovacic lifted the ball into the box and Palacio did really well to nod it down into the path of Alvarez. The Argentine took a touch inside the box before firing it past Consigli at his near post from close range.
That goal will come as a huge blow for Atalanta, who had made such a bright start to this match. They need to react quickly now and certainly avoid conceding another in quick succession. The hosts are still very much in this match.
CHANCE! Atalanta have a really good chance to equalise, but Yepes can't get his header on target. It was a superb delivery to find the defender, who threw himself at the ball having lost Juan, but his diving header flew wide of the post.
More good play from Atalanta as they advance down the left with a string of passes, but the final ball is cut out by Handanovic, who is not distracted by an almighty noise from the stands behind him.
That noise appears to have come from a firework behind the goal, with smoke starting to creep onto the field now. Handanovic is also looking uncomfortable as he keeps clutches his side in pain. Inter won't want to lose him here having only just got him back from suspension.
GOAL! Atalanta 1-1 Inter Milan (German Denis)
The scourge of Inter strikes again! It is a really good finish from Denis, who beats Samuel in the air with some wily centre-forward play before flicking his header into the far corner. Nothing that Handanovic could do about that one, and Atalanta have a deserved equaliser.
Alvarez looks to spark an immediate reaction from the visitors, whipping a cross/shot right across the face of goal. Palacio wasn't far from connecting with that, and it wasn't a million miles from finding the bottom corner without a touch either.
The volume has certainly cranked up a few notches in the stadium since the equaliser. Atalanta have put in a vibrant and exciting display so far and look more than capable of going on to win this match as things stand. Inter have also looked dangerous on occasions, but it is the hosts who have had the better of the match so far.
Inter have just taken control of the ball in the last few minutes as they look to silence the crowd and dictate the tempo of the match. In the end a poor Guarin touch gifts possession back to the hosts, who are then awarded a soft free kick.
PENALTY SHOUT! Moralez goes down under the challenge of Alvarez right on the edge of the box, prompting cries of 'penalty!' from the stands. It is one of those where it may be given anywhere else on the field, but in truth the ref is probably right to wave the claims away. There is some doubt whether the initial foul was even in the box.
SAVE! The ball bounces down to Carmona on the edge of the box and the Chilean just tries to pass his effort into the bottom corner. You could see exactly what he was trying to do, but his shot lacked power and Handanovic was able to make a fairly routine save in the end.
I'm not sure whether Handanovic will return for the second half as he is even getting teammates to take his goal kicks for him now. Surely, though, it he is injured then Mazzarri would be better off removing him now? It will be interesting to see how long he is able to continue for.
Here is a shot of Alvarez shortly after he gave Inter Milan the lead.
© Getty Images
Atalanta are looking threatening whenever they come forward here. Denis has peeled off his man at the back post this time, latching on to a Carmona cross and heading back into a dangerous area. There are no teammates waiting to take advantage, however, and he probably would have been better served going for goal himself.
OFF THE POST! That is really patient build-up play from Inter, and they are almost rewarded for it. Jonathan spins away from his man inside the box and keeps hold of the ball for a while before moving it out to Guarin. The Colombian whips a cross towards the back post and Nagatomo somehow keeps it in and hits the outside of the post from an impossible angle. He was never going to score from there, but he almost turned it back into the middle for a teammate.
Guarin puts another cross towards the back post but he doesn't have many targets to aim for in the box, and what is quite a good delivery passes by without danger. Inter are having a spell on top now in what has been a topsy-turvy match throughout.
Cambiasso, who is in good scoring form for a defensive midfielder, swings a corner into the box that Consigli has to prevent going straight in, beating it away. Had Inter put more pressure on the keeper there then he could have had trouble with that one.
HALF-TIME: Atalanta 1-1 Inter Milan
Well, what an entertaining half of football that was. It is fair to say that Italian football is not usually synonymous with open, attacking football, but these two sides never seem to disappoint in this fixture. Both have looked very capable of adding to their one goal apiece, and I would be surprised if I am reporting on a 1-1 draw at the final whistle. There are more goals in this one.
It was Inter who got on the scoreboard first when Ricky Alvarez fired the ball past Consigli at the near post having been found by Palacio knock down. The goal came against the run of play on the whole as Atalanta had look increasingly threatening in the 10 minutes or so preceding it, but Inter had started to apply more pressure just before taking the lead.
They weren't ahead for long, however, as Atalanta found a deserved equaliser nine minutes after going behind. It was Denis who got the goal - his seventh against Inter Milan - when he climbed higher than Samuel to nod into the far corner. It was really good play from the striker as he was by no means the favourite against Samuel in the air but he still managed to flick a fine effort past a helpless Handanovic.
Inter have also hit the outside of the post through Nagatomo's header from an impossible angle, while Guarin was forced to clear a Canini header off the line, denying the hosts a certain goal after just 10 minutes.
All in all it was a really good first half with both sides playing their part. We should be treated to more of the same in the second half too, as both sides will come out of the tunnel believing that they can win this game. Following that first half display, both sides have the right to think that they could win this match too. This one is still very open.
It will be interesting to see whether Handanovic returns for the second half. The Inter keeper was noticeably struggling with an injury throughout the opening 45 minutes, repeatedly clutching his hip. If there is one place that you don't want an injured player then it is in goal, but the fact that he stayed on until half time suggests that Inter are hopeful he will be able to continue.
INTER SUB: Indeed, Handanovic is unable to continue and he is replaced at the break by Juan Carrizo.
KICKOFF: Atalanta get us back underway at the start of the second half as both sides look for a winner in the upcoming 45 minutes. If it is anything like the first half, we are in for a treat here.
Guarin tries to make it a memorable start to the half by letting fly from what must be at least 40 yards out. Unsurprisingly, the ball is nowhere near threatening Consigli as it flies a long way wide and even further over. It was still rising as it cleared the bar!
It has been a relatively slow start to this half, but both teams still look eager to attack at every available opportunity here. The fans are noticeably quieter now than they were at times in the first half - particularly after they had equalised.
Guarin goes for goal from range again but the defence forces him out wide so that he is stretching for the ball, and as such his effort joins his previous strike in the stands behind the goal.
SAVE! Jonathan does well down the right before feeding the ball inside to Cambiasso. The midfielder takes a touch before lining up a powerful strike that Consigli does well to turn behind for a corner. That was a really good hit from Cambiasso, and an equally good save from the keeper.
YELLOW CARD! Stendardo is shown the first card of the game and for a moment I thought that it could have been a different colour. He raised his boot high and certainly made contact with Alvarez's chest with his studs, but it wasn't malicious. The defender did get the ball first, but the ref is right to blow for the foul and brandish a yellow.
This half hasn't quite provided as much excitement as the first did so far. The tempo has dropped, and I wonder whether both sides are beginning to get reluctant to lose this one rather than eager to win it.
Inter have a couple of corners in quick succession, but neither of them come to anything as Atalanta are able to clear with ease.
SHOT! Carrizo is called into action for the first time tonight and he makes a decent stop from a powerful low strike. That looked like a fairly straightforward save, but in these conditions it would have been a lot harder than it appeared.
YELLOW CARD! Canini goes into the box for a late challenge as he was just beaten the ball by an Inter man. No complaints there.
Guarin shapes up to shoot from range yet again, but this time tries to disguise a through ball into Palacio. His pass is too heavy, however, and rolls harmlessly through to the keeper.
CHANCE! That is a really good chance for Inter after a careless pass from Yepes. Kovacic found Alvarez with a pass and the winger cut back inside Yepes before firing a shot towards the near post from a tight angle. Consigli was not to be beaten at his near post this time, however, saving the strike with his feet.
Guarin has had a really disappointing second half so far. He has has a couple of wayward shot and has also misplaced a number of passes with his side in a good position.
ATALANTA SUB: The hosts' first change of the day sees Guido Marilungo come on for Livaja, who has failed to make an impact on this match.
INTER SUB: Inter make a change of their own in response as Guarin goes off after a poor second half display. He is replaced by Icardi.
Superb defending from Cambiasso as he clears the ball away in the middle of a mass of bodies. Stendardo flicked the ball on at the near post from a corner, but the Inter midfielder diverted the danger away with Denis in close attendance.
We're going into the last 20 minutes of this match now with the scores still level. The second half hasn't quite lived up to the first so far, but there is still time for some more drama in this one. Will it come in the form of a winning goal?
It just isn't happening for either side in the final third at the moment, and it hasn't done for the whole of the second half. In the opening 45 minutes both sides looked capable of scoring on every attack but I can't really see where a goal is going to come from right now to be honest.
OFF THE POST! Almost a classic case of the commentator's curse! Icardi lines up Yepes one-on-one inside the box and easily cuts inside the big striker before firing a low shot towards goal. It beats the keeper but comes back off the foot of the post and bounces away from danger.
ATALANTA SUB: Cigarini's evening is over as he trudges off the field to be replaced by Daniele Baselli, Could he make a telling impact in the final 15 minutes?
Atalanta have a small sight of goal as Denis finds Marilungo just inside the box. The sub is afforded too much room, which allows him to get a shot away, but the strike is tame and rolls straight into the arms of the keeper.
Great leap from Denis again, who rises much higher than Rolando, jumping early to direct his header towards goal. In the end he probably jumped a little too early as he was on his way down when he eventually made contact with the ball, looping it into the arms of the keeper.
It is interesting to see how both teams are approaching stoppages now. A few minutes ago we saw Atalanta taking their time over a sub, while Cmabiasso has just raced to get the ball back for a goal kick. That tells me that Inter are more keen to push for the win than Atalanta here.
ATALANTA SUB: This sub suggests that the hosts are indeed happy with a point from this one. Moralez goes off to be replaced by Giulio Migliaccio, who can operate in either central defence of central midfield.
WHAT A SAVE! What a huge chance that was for Atalanta to take the lead late on! Inter fail to deal with a corner at the near post and the ball falls perfectly for Yepes, who is just six yards from goal. He has virtually the whole goal to aim at, but his effort is well saved by Carrizo. It was a fantastic reaction stop, but Yepes simply had to score there. I highly doubt we'll be getting a better chance than that in this game.
Icari goes down inside the box but the referee is having none of it. The hosts are incensed by the lack of a penalty, and they have a point as Stendardo certainly pulled the striker back, but that one could have been give either way.
INTER SUB: Jonathan has been impressive today, particularly in the first half, but he won't finish the match as he makes way for Saphir Taider. Curiously, Jonathan leaves the pitch on the opposite side from normal before slowly walking back to the bench. He doesn't look too happy at the decision!
YELLOW CARD! Migliaccio goes into the book for a robust aerial challenge on Cambiasso. The Atalanta sub certainly swung his arm there, but Cambiasso is making a meal of the contact, which is unlike him to be fair.
Atalanta make a late break forward, but they only have one man in the box for the cross, which is headed wide by Marilungo at the back post.
There will be three minutes of added time at the end of this match. Will we have a dramatic late winner here?
CLOSE! That was so close to being a spectacular winner for Inter there! Alvarez cut inside from the right flank onto his stronger left foot and let fly from range with a strike that was swerving everywhere in the air. Consigli was rooted to the spot as he saw it swing narrowly past the post. Superb effort, but just not good enough.
Palacio is played into the box and he only has one defender to beat, but he is tackled as he tries to nip round his marker and the chance goes begging. That will surely be that tonight.
FULL-TIME: Atalanta BC 1-1 Inter Milan
Inter were certainly the team who were looking to win that one late on, but they didn't do enough in that second half to come away with the victory. The spoils are shared in Bergamo after an entertaining match - or first half at least - between Atlanta and Inter. In truth, the second half was a disappointment after a thrilling opening 45 minutes, but neither side will be too unhappy with a draw.
Inter took the lead through Ricky Alvarez in the first half, but the favourites by no means had things their own way tonight. Atalanta were very impressive in the first half and gave as good as they got from their more illustrious opponents. They deserved their equaliser and were probably just about the better team in the first half but, overall, you'd have to say that a draw was the fairest result tonight.
The result leaves Inter just one point ahead of Fiorentina in fourth place now, while they still trail the top three by three points. Atalanta, meanwhile move above Parma into eighth in the league with the point.
Right, that's all we have time for tonight! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for what was a topsy-turvy match between Atalanta and Inter. Stick around for our match report, which will be up on site shortly, and be sure to check back in for a wealth of live football throughout the week. From me, though, it is goodbye!
Written by
Barney Corkhill
Barney Corkhill
