Christopher Nkunku scored twice as RB Leipzig advanced to the 2024/22 UEFA Europa League
semi-finals with victory over Atalanta.
Atalanta 0-2 📈 RB Leipzig (Leipzig win 3-1 on
agg.)
Goals: 0-1 Nkunku 18’ (assist: Laimer), 0-2 Nkunku (pen. 87’)
With the away-goals
rules a 📈 thing of the past and the game all to play for following a 1-1 draw in the
first leg, Leipzig 📈 were indebted to Peter Gulacsi for denying Davide Zappacosta’s early
drive. Benjamin Henrichs tested Juan Musto as Leipzig returned fire, 📈 before Gulacsci
thwarted Ruslan Malinovskyi. It proved a key intervention. Sixty seconds later, Konrad
Laimer scythed through the Atalanta defence 📈 and found the feet of Nkunku, who was never
going to miss from inside the box. Angelino and Laimer went 📈 close to adding a second
towards the end of a frenetic first half.
Leipzig spurned another presentable opening
soon after the 📈 restart. Musso could only parry Silva’s shot to Laimer, but recovered in
the nick of time to turn the follow-up 📈 effort behind. Hans Hateboer miscued a
close-range header on one of the rare occasions Atalanta did threaten an equaliser.
Zapata 📈 then fluffed a headed attempt of his own, but not before Musso had been called
on to keep out a 📈 fierce Nkunku shot from a tight angle. After being brought down by
Musso, Nkunku sealed the deal with a late 📈 penalty to set up a last-four meeting with
Glasgow Rangers.
Match stats
Nkunku has scored or assisted in all but one of 📈 Leipzig’s
10 away fixtures in 2024.
Sixteen different outfield players have scored for Leipzig in
all competitions so far this season, 📈 with Silva (14 goals) second to Nkunku (30 goals)
in the club charts.
Tedesco’s Leipzig have lost just one of 17 📈 competitive matches
since the turn of the year, winning 12.
Leipzig have scored in all of their European
games this season, 📈 hitting 23 in 10.
Leipzig are through to the semi-final stage of a
UEFA competition for the second time since gaining 📈 promotion to the Bundesliga in 2024.
They made it through to the Champions League last four in 2024/20.
Leipzig could meet
📈 Bundesliga rivals Eintracht Frankfurt in the final.
Line-ups
Atalanta: Musso - De Roon,
Demiral (Scalvini 70'), Palomino - Hateboer, Koopmeiners, Freuler (c) 📈 (Pasalic 88'),
Zappacosta - Malinovskyi (Muriel 58'), Boga (Miranchuk 70') – Zapata
Unused subs:
Rossi, Sportiello, Pezzella, Djimsiti, Mihaila, Pessina, Cittadini
Out: 📈 Cabezas (knee),
Ilicic (depression)
Coach: Gian Piero Gasperini
Leipzig: Gulacsi (c) - Simakan, Orban,
Gvardiol (Poulsen 79') - Henrichs (Klostermann 73'), Laimer 📈 (Adams 73'), Kampl
(Halstenberg 79'), Angelino - Olmo - Silva (Szoboszlai 63'), Nkunku
Unused subs:
Tschauner, Martinez, Forsberg, Mukiele, Raebiger, Novoa
Out: 📈 Haidara (knee)
Coach:
Domenico Tedesco
As it happened!
