Atalanta continued their impressive Champions League run with a 2-0 victory over VfB Stuttgart on Wednesday, maintaining their unbeaten streak and their perfect defensive record in the competition this season. Goals from Ademola Lookman and Nicolo Zaniolo in the second half sealed the win, with Atalanta yet to concede a goal in their four Champions League games so far.
The match, played at Stuttgart’s Mercedes-Benz Arena, was a tense affair, with the home side looking to extend their impressive unbeaten run at home. Despite Atalanta controlling much of the possession in the first half, Stuttgart created the better chances. Anthony Rouault had a header from close range that went over the bar, while Deniz Undav missed a golden opportunity right before the halftime whistle, firing wide from a close-range shot after a well-placed pass from Chris Fuhrich.
Atalanta broke the deadlock in the 51st minute, thanks to a brilliant piece of play from Charles De Ketelaere. The Belgian dribbled past two Stuttgart defenders before delivering a perfect cross to Lookman, who tapped in from close range to give the visitors the lead. Stuttgart struggled to break down Atalanta's solid defense and could not find a response.
In the final minutes, Atalanta put the game beyond doubt. Substitute Zaniolo capitalized on poor defending from Stuttgart, collecting a loose ball and calmly finishing past goalkeeper Alexander Nübel in a one-on-one situation to make it 2-0.
The win extended Atalanta's unbeaten run to eight matches across all competitions and saw them climb to ninth in the group standings with eight points. Stuttgart, on the other hand, slipped to 27th, out of the playoff positions, after failing to build on their impressive victory over Juventus in their previous Champions League outing.
Atalanta's coach, Gian Piero Gasperini, expressed satisfaction with his team's performance, especially with their defensive solidity, which has been a key feature in their successful campaign so far. "We came here with ambition, and the way this victory came is what gives us confidence," Gasperini said. "We won with personality." The Italian side’s defensive strength, combined with their clinical finishing, has put them in an excellent position as they head into the second half of the group stage.
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