Atalanta clinched a vital 1-0 victory over AC Milan at the San Siro on Sunday, courtesy of a second-half strike from Éderson, a result that bolstered their hold on a top-four finish in Serie A while dashing Milan’s faint hopes of Champions League qualification.
With the win, Atalanta climbed to third in the standings on 64 points, putting them four points clear of Bologna, who earlier stunned league leaders Inter Milan 1-0. Milan, meanwhile, remain stuck in ninth place with 51 points.
The first half was largely uneventful, with Atalanta enjoying more possession but neither team creating any clear-cut chances.
Milan’s best moment came just before halftime when Luka Jovic turned inside the box and narrowly missed the target with a low shot.
After the restart, Milan looked livelier and tried to press forward, but they struggled to break down a disciplined Atalanta side. Their failure to convert pressure into goals was punished in the 62nd minute.
Ademola Lookman delivered a precise cross into the box that Raoul Bellanova smartly redirected with a headed pass to Éderson, who launched himself into a diving header to beat Mike Maignan and put Atalanta ahead.
That moment seemed to drain Milan’s energy. Lookman continued to torment the hosts, seeing one shot blocked by Youssouf Fofana and another deflected wide for a corner.
Lookman then turned provider again, sending a low ball across the face of goal that Mateo Retegui failed to convert from close range, misfiring under pressure from Strahinja Pavlovic.
Milan substitute João Félix offered a rare spark with a driving run toward Atalanta’s box, but he scuffed his effort badly. Lookman had one more chance after a lung-bursting run from deep, but Maignan was equal to his shot.
As the referee blew the final whistle, jubilant cheers erupted from the Atalanta supporters who made the short trip from Bergamo, while Milan’s fans responded with boos, continuing their vocal dissent toward the club’s leadership.
