Young substitute Roberto Piccoli struck deep into stoppage time to earn Atalanta a last-gasp 2-1 victory at Torino on the opening day of the Serie A season on Saturday.
Luis Muriel, who was only outscored by Cristiano Ronaldo and Romelu Lukaku in Serie A last season, opened his 2021-22 account in style by firing the visitors in front with a powerful strike in the sixth minute.
Club captain and Torino talisman Andrea Belotti came off the bench to level things up in the 79th minute, his long-range strike deflected over Atalanta goalkeeper Juan Musso, as the hosts appeared on course for what would have been a deserved point.
But an injury-hit Atalanta dug deep late on, with 20-year-old Piccoli, who spent last season on loan at Spezia, pouncing in the six-yard box to score his first goal for the Bergamo club and snatch victory at the last.
Elsewhere, in the evening’s other late kick off, Lazio also got off to a winning start, coming from behind to win 3-1 at Empoli thanks to goals from Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Manuel Lazzari and Ciro Immobile, all in the first half.
Reuters
Photo – Atalanta’s Roberto Piccoli (C) jubilates after scoring a goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match Torino FC vs Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio at Olimpico Grande Torino Stadium in Turin, Italy, 21 August 2021. EPA-EFE/ALESSANDRO DI MARCO
