Atalanta started their UEFA Conference League campaign with a convincing 3‑1 victory against Pafos at the NewBalance Arena. The result was achieved thanks to three goals in the first half, with Elmas, Raspadori and Scamacca scoring in the 18th, 18th and 44th minutes respectively. The entire match was dominated by Atalanta, who ended the match with a three-goal lead.
The opening goal came in less than a minute, when Elmas used a pass from Raspadori and Scamacca's speed to find the hole in the Cypriot defense. The second goal was scored by Raspadori, who converted a penalty awarded in the 18th minute. Just before the end of the first half, Scamacca finished the sequence with another goal, leaving Atalanta 3‑0 ahead. Pafos responded only in the 44th minute, with a goal from Biel, but it was not enough to reduce the difference.
During the match, coach Maurizio Sarri had to deal with an unexpected event: in the 20th minute Raspadori was ruled out due to a muscle injury. The player, who suffered a strain on his right thigh, was taken to the infirmary and, pending further tests, is likely to remain out of the next Serie A match against Milan. Sarri had to replace him with DeKetelaere, who took Raspadori's place on the pitch.
Despite the victory, Atalanta had to deal with a series of difficulties. Raspadori's injury forced Sarri to give up key players such as Kessie, Bellanova, Scalvini, Hien and Kossounou for the next league match. However, the Bergamo team showed that they have strong motivation and good attacking form, with three goals in the first half and a three-goal lead.
The result of this match is important for Atalanta, who now find themselves in a favorable position in the Conference League standings. Sarri's team will have to focus on the next league match against Milan, where they will face the challenge of playing without Raspadori and some key players. Meanwhile, Atalanta will continue to fight for victory in the Conference League and to achieve their season goals.