Christopher Nkunku shot RB Leipzig into the first Europa League semi-final in the club’s history in the deafeningly loud football temple of Atalanta Bergamo. With his brace, the attacker gave coach Domenico Tedesco a deserved 2-0 (1-0) in his native country on Thursday evening. In front of 19,860 spectators in the sold-out Gewiss Stadium, Nkunku took the lead after a counterattack in the 18th minute and made everything clear in the 87th minute with a converted penalty kick.
With the immensely noisy ultra grandstand Curva Nord behind them, Atalanta – just called “The Goddess” in Italy – pressed for an early goal. Playmaker Ruslan Malinowskyj preferred to use the tall full-backs Hans Hateboer and Davide Zappacosta. But more than a shot from an acute angle by Zappacosta, who scored an own goal to make it 1-1 in the first leg, did not come out at first.
Leipzig got more security in front of 800 RB fans. This was also due to the fact that Bergamo did not act as physically as in the first leg and was noticeably vulnerable to counterattacks. Konrad Laimer started a first test run on the right side, crossed into the center – there Benjamin Henrichs (13th), who ran with him, didn’t catch the ball properly. Only five minutes later it was running perfectly. Henrichs sent Laimer down the right lane, the Austrian international sprinted halfway and pulled into the penalty area. Nkunku only had to hold off Laimer’s precise return pass, and the ball hit the net from the inside of the post. It was the 29th goal in 43 games in all competitions for the Frenchman.
Atalanta didn’t seem impressed at first and continued to push through his game. The Curva Nord didn’t let up for a second either. However, the home side’s game was only dominant up to the penalty area and far too harmless beyond that. Just before the break, Laimer was about to get the second goal but his shot went wide of the far post. Atalanta came out of the break with a lot of anger and a lot of pressure and had the first big opportunity with Malinowskyj’s (50th) free kick from 18 meters. The shot got stuck in the wall, after the video referee advised referee Antonio Lahoz watched the scene again. The point of discussion was an alleged handball by Dani Olmo in the penalty area – but Lahoz stuck to his opinion and refused the penalty.
Bergamo still offered space defensively, and the next Leipzig counterattack led to the next big chance. Goalkeeper Juan Musso misjudged a cross from Nkunku and Laimer (56′) suddenly had the empty goal in front of him. But Musso just got a hand between them at the end of a few meters. Bergamo coach Gian Piero Gasperini responded and brought in a second striker in the first leg scorer Luis Muriel. After a standard, Bergamo had the biggest chance up to that point. Hans Hateboer (63′) took a long leg from a cross into the penalty area, but the ball flew over the goal. On the other side, Nkunku (68′) whirled again, this time his shot landed on the side netting. Atalanta increased the pressure again and had dangerous shots from Teun Koopmeiners (69′) and Muriel (70′). But the man of the evening was Nkunku, who won and converted the penalty just before the end to make it 2-0.
Now Leipzig is playing in the semifinals against the winner of the duel between Sporting Braga and Glasgow Rangers for a place in the final on June 18 in Seville. The semi-finals will take place on April 28th and May 5th.