Koopmeiners nets hat-trick as Atalanta brush aside Torino, Bologna draw with Salernitana

Atalanta - Torino 3-1

Atalanta ended a seven-match run without a win at home in Serie A as Koopmeiners’ hat-trick inspired a 3-1 win over Torino at the Gewiss Stadium.

With both sides having identical starts to the season in terms of results (W2, D1), it perhaps wasn’t a big surprise to see an evenly-matched beginning to proceedings, with both defences limiting their opponents to shots from outside the box.

The best of these efforts came from Koopmeiners, who forced Vanja Milinkovic-Savic into a fingertip save to deny him.

Torino controlled the play early on, but it was La Dea who created the more dangerous openings. Duvan Zapata spurned a gilt-edged chance to break the deadlock, as he ran through on goal before looking to curl into the corner, but the visiting shot-stopper read his intentions and saved.

Merih Demiral may never get an easier opportunity to score, somehow hitting the post from inside the six-yard box before making a complete mess of the rebound.

Ivan Juric thought his side had taken the lead on the stroke of half time when Nikola Vlasic netted, but the Croatian was offside and his goal ruled out.

II Toro were then dealt a hammer blow in stoppage time when Ola Aina tripped Brandon Soppy inside the area, conceding a penalty.

Koopmeiners stepped up and buried the spot-kick, easing Gian Piero Gasperini’s nerves at the interval.

That was the Dutch midfielder’s second strike in as many games, and he doubled his account for the night within two minutes of the restart.

Torino failed to clear a set-piece and Koopmeiners, waiting outside the area, unleashed a precise, low shot that proved too strong for Milinkovic-Savic.

The Serbian goalkeeper was ever busier as the game progressed, his next task being to tip Rafael Toloi’s effort against the bar.

Torino looked to stage a comeback, and Vlasic set the wheels in motion, slamming home after Pietro Pellegri’s pull-back found him in space inside the area.

Any hopes of a comeback were dead in the water moments later, however, when Valentino Lazaro tripped Ademola Lookman inside the area.

Another penalty was subsequently awarded and was expertly finished once more by Koopmeiners to complete his hat-trick.

Ten points from their first four games equals the hosts’ best league start this century, while the result also ended Torino’s four-game winning streak on the road.

Flashscore Man of the Match: Teun Koopmeiners (Atalanta)

Bologna - Salernitana 1-1

Bologna and Salernitana played out a dramatic 1-1 draw, seeing the Granata extend their club record Serie A unbeaten streak to six straight matches.

After finishing only one point clear of the relegation zone last season, Salernitana will have come into this season keen on moving up into mid-table obscurity.

While the first half was void of any quality in the final third, it was the Granata who fashioned the sole big chance of the half when Lassana Coulibaly missed his kick from point-blank range after latching onto a deflected cross.

To match his blushes, Nicola Sansone had a chance of his own to find the opening goal after a Salernitana giveaway, but the Bologna man fluffed his lines with only the keeper to beat.

Early in the second half Sansone redeemed himself, however, as the forward won his side a penalty when Norbert Gyomber took him down after getting in behind the Salernitana defense.

The subsequent spot-kick was coolly dispatched into the bottom corner by Bologna star-man Arnautovic, giving the home side a narrow lead in the game.

With a lead intact, the Rossoblu recoiled back into their shell and looked to see the game out, hoping to secure their first win of the season.

But they were undone with just minutes remaining when Salernitana newcomer Boulaye Dia stabbed home a rebound from just a few yards out to snatch a point for the visitors in the dying moments.

The late dramatics saw Bologna come within three minutes of their first win of the season, only to have their hopes dashed.

To make matters worse, a fourth straight league tie without collecting three points keeps the Dall'Ara club stuck level with 18th place, and in an early-season relegation scrap.

Flashscore Man of the Match: Nicola Sansone (Bologna)