HERNING, Denmark (AP) – Alejandro “Papu” Gomez scored a goal when Atalanta beat FC Midtjylland 4-0 in his first Champions League match on Wednesday.
Duvon Zapata scored the goal and the Colombian striker also scored – and contributed to his team’s third goal – as Atalanta at the time of the season in the Champions League.
Zapata hit the pole early.
It is Atalanta’s best way to react after his unexpected 4–1 defeat to Napoli in Serie A on Saturday.
“When you play every 3 days, it can happen,” said Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini. “This team has responded well.
“Today we had to win, it was not as simple as the result would suggest. It might not be simple for the other groups to come and play here either. “
Liverpool beat Ajax 1-0 in the Group D match.
Host Midtjylland made his first in the Champions League organizing stage. Atalanta first competed last year and reached the quarter-finals remarkably well.
“It was a challenging game and a tricky delight for us,” said Midtjylland coach Brian Priske. “I think we had a smart start. But in a few minutes, everything can change, and we had 15 bad minutes in the first half, and that game.
Atalanta lost his first year of the Champions League 4-0 and that match highlighted the team’s progress.
“We showed that we have taken a step forward last season, last year we lost the first match 4-0, this time we won 4-0,” said Atalanta midfielder Marten de Roon. “The team is more mature. “
Atalanta broke the impasse in the minute.
Cristian Romero acrobatically overturned Rafael Tol’i’s center and Zapata shot the farthest corner. Zapata scored Atalanta’s first Champions League goal last season.
Midtjylland nearly tied at 34 when Frank Onyeka took the lead from a wide curve, but a short time later the Danish team found himself in the back.
Zapata retrieved the ball and left the ball to Gomez, who sent a shot to the bottom of the net from outside the area.
Zapata also worried 3 minutes before halftime, as his effort was reduced through Midtjylland goalkeeper Jesper Hansen, but Luis Muriel made the rebound.
Aleksei Miranchuk replaced Zapata with 10 minutes to the end of his Atalanta debut and made an impressive effort on the left side for the fifth goal of his appearance.
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