December 28, (THEWILL) – Atalanta maintained their position at the summit of Serie A following a late 1-1 draw against Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday, though their remarkable 11-match winning sequence came to an end.
Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman proved instrumental in the final minutes, setting up Marco Brescianini for a simple finish that preserved Atalanta’s single-point advantage over Inter Milan.
The defending champions had earlier recorded a commanding 3-0 victory at Cagliari, temporarily drawing level at the top.
The result holds particular importance in the context of the title race, with Atalanta positioned to remain league leaders even if Napoli defeat Venezia on Sunday.
A Napoli win would bring them level on 41 points, though they would require a substantial goal difference swing to claim first position.
Serie A regulations stipulate that should two teams finish level on points at the season’s conclusion, a single match would determine the championship winner.
This additional element brings further intrigue to what appears to be developing into an enthralling 2024/2025 title competition.
The home side dominated the opening exchanges, with Nigerian international Fisayo Dele-Bashiru converting in the 27th minute to give Lazio the lead.
Their early control was evident through Marco Carnesecchi’s requirement to make two outstanding interventions, while Matteo Guendouzi struck the post during a dominant first-half display.
Without the services of injured striker Mateo Retegui, Atalanta gradually established themselves in the contest.
Their persistence paid dividends when Lookman broke beyond the defensive line to collect Nicolo Zaniolo’s intelligent pass, before unselfishly creating Brescianini’s third goal of the campaign, silencing the passionate Roman crowd.
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.
