February 05, (THEWILL) – Bologna advanced to the Coppa Italia semi-finals following a 1-0 victory over Atalanta at the Gewiss Stadium, with substitute Santiago Castro scoring the decisive goal in the 80th minute.
The Argentine forward made an immediate impact after entering the match, converting a precise cross from Charalampos Lykogiannis with a well-placed header at the back post.
The match began with Atalanta creating early opportunities, as Charles De Ketelaere tested Bologna goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski before Davide Zappacosta sent an effort over the crossbar.
Bologna gradually established control of the proceedings, with Jhon Lucumi coming close to opening the scoring before half-time, though his strike proved straightforward for Rui Patricio.
Vincenzo Italiano’s tactical approach paid dividends throughout the encounter, with his side maintaining consistent pressure on their opponents.
Atalanta, looking to rebound from recent draws against Barcelona and Torino, struggled to generate meaningful scoring opportunities in the second half under Gian Piero Gasperini’s guidance.
The introduction of Castro proved to be the defining moment of the quarter-final clash, with the substitute requiring just two minutes to make his mark.
His decisive header not only settled the tie but also continued Bologna’s impressive cup campaign, setting up an intriguing semi-final contest against either Juventus or Empoli.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
