Roma keep European hopes alive with battling draw against Atalanta in Serie A

[p]This clash for the European places got off to a blistering start as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/atalanta/8C9JjMXu/"]Atalanta[/a] went ahead inside 12 minutes.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hermoso-mario/OUjnz4Ab/"]Mario Hermoso[/a] was dispossessed inside his own half by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/de-roon-marten/SUUtwXea/"]Marten de Roon[/a], who then fed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/krstovic-nikola/4CvqRml2/"]Nikola Krstović[/a] and, although the Montenegro international still had work to do, he took a touch before burying his shot into the bottom-left corner.[/b][/p][embed guid="409a606b-e3b9-438e-b592-faefac389942" url="https://x.com/SerieA_EN/status/2045578107671679212" social-type="twitter" /][p]Only [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kane-harry/v5HSlEAa/"]Harry Kane[/a] has scored more goals in Europe’s top five leagues since [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/malen-donyell/KOdKXsao/"]Donyell Malen[/a] moved to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/as-roma/zVqqL0ma/"]Roma[/a], and the Dutchman should have added to his tally in the first half.[/p][p]First, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/el-aynaoui-neil/f3mqZ2x6/"]Stephen El Shaarawy[/a] broke forward and laid the ball on a plate for Malen to fire home, but his shot was smothered by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/carnesecchi-marco/8WujtCJF/"]Marco Carnesecchi[/a] from point-blank range.[/p][p]The Atalanta stopper again denied Malen 10 minutes later, only this time the Dutchman’s shot was from a tight angle inside the 18-yard box.[/p][p][b]Roma continued to probe for the equaliser, however, and it duly arrived on the brink of half time as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rensch-devyne/8WyJ5NrU/"]Devyne Rensch[/a] did brilliantly to nod the ball back into the danger area from the back post for Hermoso to volley home.[/b][/p][embed guid="dd8bcd4b-9496-4f32-8b93-2b8afe2b9044" url="https://x.com/SerieA_EN/status/2045586458052895161" social-type="twitter" /][p]Both sides had opportunities in the early stages of the second half. First, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zalewski-nicola/Slt8hI4R/"]Nicola Zalewski[/a] - who had been brought on as a substitute ahead of the restart - flashed a shot narrowly wide from distance, before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/el-shaarawy-stephan/fFLge2V1/"]El Shaarawy[/a] was denied by Carnesecchi at his near post.[/p][p]The Atalanta stopper was having a busy evening covering his posts as he once again denied the Giallorossi at his near post, this time saving from Malen’s powerful effort.[/p][p]Hermoso was next to go close for the home side as his header was comfortably gathered by the visiting goalkeeper.[/p][p]In the end, Atalanta managed to weather the Giallorossi storm and earn a point to keep them within contention for European qualification.[/p][image alt="Match stats" id="365a5e80-842a-465d-8351-9cec169c31a0" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="4426de23-0b8c-44b0-b5c0-d571ee76e75a" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]Roma, meanwhile, are now winless in eight H2H meetings with La Dea but remain in sixth place and four behind ahead of tonight’s opponents. [/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/carnesecchi-marco/8WujtCJF/"]Marco Carnesecchi[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/atalanta/8C9JjMXu/"]Atalanta[/a])[/b][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/as-roma-zVqqL0ma/atalanta-8C9JjMXu/?mid=Qecq8p9s"][b]Check out the match stats here[/b].[/a][/p]