Atalanta delivered a thrilling late comeback in the Champions League on Tuesday night, overturning a deficit to defeat Belgian side Club Brugge 2-1 at the Gewiss Stadium.
The visitors struck first when Christos Tzolis broke the deadlock in the 38th minute, capitalizing on a mistake from Marten de Roon. His twisting run and curling finish left Atalanta trailing at halftime, as Brugge looked set to continue their strong start to the group stage.
The second half, however, brought a complete shift in momentum. Croatian midfielder Mario Pašalić played a decisive role, earning a penalty in the 74th minute when Brugge goalkeeper Nordin Jackers clattered into him inside the box. Substitute Lazar Samardžić stepped up and coolly converted from the spot to level the score.
Moments later, Brugge nearly reclaimed the lead when Romeo Vermant’s shot drifted agonizingly wide of the post with Atalanta’s goalkeeper stranded. That miss proved costly.
In the 87th minute, Pašalić capped off his influential display by rising highest at the back post to head home from a corner, sealing the comeback and sending the home crowd into raptures.
The result hands Atalanta their first points of the campaign, after suffering a heavy 4-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain earlier in September. For Brugge, who had opened their campaign with a commanding 4-1 win over Monaco, it was a painful reminder of how quickly fortunes can change in European football.
Atalanta’s resilience and Pašalić’s brilliance may now provide the spark Gian Piero Gasperini’s side needs to reassert themselves in the group.
