Bologna made history on Tuesday evening, securing a hard-fought 1-0 win against Atalanta in the Coppa Italia quarter-final.
Santiago Castro came off the bench to score the decisive goal, sending Bologna into the semi-finals for the first time in the 21st century.
This victory marks their first semi-final appearance since 1999.
Atalanta’s Early Threat
Atalanta started strong, testing Bologna’s goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski just six minutes in.
Charles De Ketelaere struck a powerful shot after a brilliant pass from Ederson, but Skorupski was equal to the task.
The Belgian attacker could have passed to Mateo Retegui at the back post, but he chose to go for goal instead.
The first half saw both teams trying to gain control. Atalanta suffered a setback in the 36th minute when Jens Odgaard pulled up with a hamstring injury.
The forward had sprinted back to stop Davide Zappacosta’s run but felt discomfort in his thigh. Bologna’s coach introduced Benja Dominguez as a replacement.
Just before halftime, Bologna nearly took the lead. Tommaso Pobega fired a first-time effort from the edge of the box after a cut-back from Dan Ndoye. However, Atalanta’s defenders blocked the shot to keep the game level.
Second-Half Drama
Gian Piero Gasperini made major changes just before the hour mark, introducing three new players.
January signing Daniel Maldini made his Atalanta debut, coming on alongside Juan Cuadrado and Lazar Samardzic.
They replaced Davide Zappacosta, Mario Pasalic, and Mateo Retegui.
In the 67th minute, Atalanta appealed for a red card and a penalty after Cuadrado fell inside the area.
Emil Holm barely touched him on the back, but Atalanta’s protests were ignored.
The referee decided not to award a foul, keeping Bologna at full strength.
Stefan Posch, who had just joined Atalanta on loan, was introduced in the 72nd minute for his debut.
Shortly after, Maldini had a golden chance to score, receiving a perfect pass from Marco Brescianini.
However, his shot lacked power, and Skorupski easily saved it.
Holm had a chance at the other end just minutes later, but his powerful strike was stopped by Rui Patricio.
Bologna’s Breakthrough
With just 10 minutes left, Bologna finally found the breakthrough. Santiago Castro, who had replaced Thijs Dallinga minutes earlier, rose highest to meet a Charalampos Lykogiannis free-kick. His well-placed header beat Patricio, giving Bologna a 1-0 lead.
Atalanta desperately searched for an equalizer, but Bologna defended well. The final minutes saw heated exchanges as Atalanta’s Marten De Roon lost his temper.
He pushed Dan Ndoye after the Bologna player delayed a free-kick, earning himself a yellow card. Tempers flared, but Bologna held on.
Historic Win for Bologna
The final whistle sparked celebrations for Bologna. They have now reached the Coppa Italia semi-finals for the first time in 25 years. Their reward is a two-legged semi-final clash in April against either Juventus or Empoli.
Atalanta, on the other hand, will be disappointed with the result. They had chances but failed to make them count. Gasperini’s side will now shift focus back to Serie A, where they hope to secure a top-four finish.
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