Scamacca strikes as Atalanta hold Marseille to boost Europa League dream

In a fiercely contested Europa League semi-final first-leg clash in France on Thursday, Marseille was held to a 1-1 draw at home by Atalanta.

Gianluca Scamacca opened the scoring for the visitors after 11 minutes, capitalizing on a precise pass from Teun Koopmeiners to slot the ball into the far post. This marked Scamacca’s 16th goal of the season, showcasing his prowess in front of goal.

Marseille quickly responded with Chancel Mbemba equalizing just nine minutes later with an impressive long-range strike that found the net after hitting the post, leaving both teams level.

Despite numerous opportunities for further goals, neither side managed to break the deadlock, leaving Atalanta slightly more content heading into the return leg.

Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini commented, “I expected a few more goals, to be honest. We had to struggle tonight, but it’s a good result, as Olympique [Marseille] lost once here all year against PSG and give their best in this stadium.”

Reflecting on the match, Scamacca stated, “It’s a good result, we knew the atmosphere would be tough tonight. I just try to do the best I can for my team. My teammates put me in the best conditions to score.”

Meanwhile, Marseille midfielder Amine Harit remarked, “We had a tactical plan, we knew we had to go after them and press them, make it difficult for them. I think we should have done a bit more.”

Marseille will now travel to Bergamo for the second leg next Thursday. The winners will face either Roma or Bayer Leverkusen in the final on 22 May in Dublin. Leverkusen holds a 2-0 lead going into the second leg in Germany.

Looking ahead, Gasperini emphasized the importance of the upcoming match, stating, “If Marseille got to the semi-final, it means they are good away too. It’s true their results were not at the same standard as at home, but they remain a good team and we need a great performance.”