Atalanta 3 : 3 Palermo - Atalanta fight back to earn draw
Posted Monday, December 22, 2014 by PA
Atalanta fought back from a two-goal deficit to earn a 3-3 draw against Palermo in Bergamo on Sunday afternoon.
Luca Rigoni put Palermo ahead in the sixth minute and Franco Vazquez doubled the advantage shortly after.
German Denis earned and converted a penalty to reduce the arrears in the 40th minute before Vazquez scored his second of the day to give Palermo a 3-1 lead at half-time.
However, second-half goals from Maximiliano Moralez and Denis earned the home side a deserved point.
Palermo coach Giuseppe Iachini will be frustrated with the result but the point nevertheless allowed the Sicilians to establish a new club record of eight consecutive games without a defeat in Serie A.
Palermo end the year in 10th position and Atalanta in 17th, just three points above the drop zone.
The visitors went into the contest looking to cap a great 2014 that had seen them gain promotion to Italy's top flight after finishing top in Serie B last season.
Palermo went in front when Vazquez spotted Rigoni in the heart of the area and the Italian midfielder struck the ball towards the top right corner of goal and out of Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Sportiello's reach.
Palermo doubled their advantage after Vazquez's bullet strike from 25 yards went past a helpless Sportiello.
The hosts reduced the deficit in the 40th minute when Denis slotted home from the penalty spot after he had been brought down by Ezequiel Munoz in the box.
Palermo regained their two-goal lead five minutes later when Paulo Dybala set up Vazquez in the box and the Argentinian midfielder made no mistake and drilled a left-footed effort towards the near post to beat Sportiello.
Atalanta began the second half showing a greater sense of urgency and halved the deficit 10 minutes after the restart.
Moralez pounced on a loose ball in Palermo's area and hit a diagonal shot past a helpless visiting goalkeeper Stefano Sorrentino.
The home side were unlucky not to draw level in the 68th minute after Luca Cigarini's volley surprised Sorrentino but hit the post.
However, Atalanta's pressing eventually paid off and with 14 minutes remaining, Denis equalised.
The veteran striker, who had found the back of the net just once prior to Sunday's game, hit a right-footed shot to beat Sorrentino at the far post.
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