Atalanta and Frosinone fought it out in an extraordinary 4-4 draw, with Romano Schmid and Nikola Krstovic doubles, but there could’ve easily been even more goals.
La Dea continued to stutter this season, losing four of their last five Serie A matches, and fresh from Thursday’s 2-0 Conference League defeat to Ajax. The injury crisis intensified, missing Sead Kolasinac, Giorgio Scalvini, Isak Hien, Odilon Kossounou, Franck Kessie, Giacomo Raspadori and Kamaldeen Sulemana.
The Canarini have been one of the big surprises since promotion from Serie B, amassing 13 points in six rounds, losing only to Napoli in that spell. Florian Grillitsch was the only absentee, though Ilario Monterisi and Gabriele Calvani were not at 100 per cent.
See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.
It was a truly disastrous start for the hosts, because Ederson’s wayward back-pass was a gift for Romano Schmid to sweep home undisturbed in the opening 30 seconds.
Atalanta did equalise after a couple more scares, as the inspired Charles De Ketelaere slide-rule pass released Nikola Krstovic to control and sweep in undisturbed from six yards.
Frosinone and Schmid had the ball in the net again after 17 minutes, although celebrations were delayed by a VAR check for potential Giorgi Kvernadze offside. Atalanta also complained of a possible foul in the build-up, but Fares Ghedjemis rolled across from the right for Schmid to score from 12 yards.
It was end to end, as the hosts nearly equalised moments later, Raoul Bellanova getting down the right to set up the cheeky De Ketelaere back-heel flick, which beat the goalkeeper only for Anthony Oyono to clear off the line. As the move continued, the Eljif Elmas angled drive was deflected wide.
Things went from bad to worse for Atalanta, as Bellanova limped off with yet another muscular injury, clutching the inside of his right thigh.
However, Giorgio Cittadini was penalised for a clumsy handling offence, waving his arm over his head as De Ketelaere nodded the ball onto it, and Ederson converted the penalty, making up for his earlier error.
De Ketelaere went on a strong run down the left, his pull-back finding the acrobatic Ederson attempt deflected wide, then another strange Ederson scorpion kick went wide.
Calvani made a desperate goal-line clearance on Davide Zappacosta’s angled drive, unaware that he was offside in the build-up.
Krstovic’s header from a corner grazed the crossbar and the momentum of the game was visibly changing, Atalanta turning it around to lead for the first time with Krstovic meeting the Zappacosta low cross from six yards.
No sooner had the second half started and Frosinone were back on level terms for 3-3. It was laid off to the edge of the area for Giacomo Calò to sweep first-time into the far top corner with the right boot.
They had barely finished celebrating when Atalanta went 4-3 up, as De Ketelaere surged into the box and laid it off for Krstovic, who in turn generously kept it going for Eljif Elmas to turn in undisturbed.
It remained wide open, Kvernadze and a Ghedjemis curler not far off target, while a desperate Calvani block prevented Krstovic completing his hat-trick from 12 yards.
Ghedjemis hit a powerful finish straight at Marco Carnesecchi, while Lorenzo Palmisani got down for a great reaction save on the Nicola Zalewski strike at the base of the near post.
Carnesecchi had to get down quickly to palm a Ghedjemis effort round the base of the upright, and had his gloves stung by Schmid on a corner.
The inevitable 4-4 arrived when Schmid and Ghedjemis laid it off down the right for Aleksa Terzic to turn in first-time with the inside of the boot from 12 yards, with a slight deflection off Thomas Kristensen.
Frosinone threatened to turn it around moments later on a corner, but Elmas deflected the Ghedjemis strike round the upright, then Elmas tested Palmisani from close range at the other end.
It wasn’t over, Carnesecchi’s gloves stung by Antonio Raimondo in stoppages, as did the Ghedjemis angled drive.
Atalanta 4-4 Frosinone
Schmid 1, 17 (F), Krstovic 14, 45 (A), Ederson pen 33 (A), Calò 48 (F), Elmas 50 (A), Terzic 82 (F)
Player statistic
| 1' | Romano Schmid | |||
| 7' | Gabriele Bracaglia | |||
| Eljif Elmas (Assist: Charles De Ketelaere) |
14' | |||
| 17' | Romano Schmid (Assist: Farès Ghedjemis) | |||
| 28' | Giorgi Kvernadze | |||
| Éderson |  |
33' | ||
| Nikola Krstovic (Assist: Davide Zappacosta) |
45' |
| 48' | Giacomo Calò (Assist: Farès Ghedjemis) | |||
| Eljif Elmas (Assist: Nikola Krstovic) |
50' | |||
| Éderson | 69' | |||
| 82' |  |
Aleksa Terzic (Assist: Farès Ghedjemis) | ||
| 86' | Aleksa Terzic | |||
| 90+2' |  |
Antonio Raimondo |
