Zapata pressurises Domenech into a wild clearance that goes out for a corner for the hosts. However, they - for once - elect to adopt a cautious approach and they play it short to try and secure their lead.
90' +2
A. Tameze enters the game and replaces M. Pašalić.
Atalanta make their final substitution as Pasalic is replaced by Tameze.
90' +1
Valencia continue to push as Wass swings in a deep cross towards Torres who takes a touch before hitting a tired shot well wide from 18 yards.
90'
Four minutes of stoppage time are added.
89'
Gameiro zooms down the right-wing before hitting a delivery across the face of goal that goes agonisingly beyond the patrolling Cheryshev.
88'
Valencia are continuing to recklessly throw men forward in search of a second away goal and - while they're creating chances - it's opening up plenty of space for Atalanta to pursue a fifth goal.
86'
Atalanta hit Valencia on the break yet again and for a moment it looks as though Zapata will be clean through on goal, but Wass recovers superbly to drive the striker out wide and fend off the danger.
85'
Zapata holds up play well in the box, before laying it off to Malinovskiy who curls a shot well over the bar from 20 yards.
81'
R. Malinovskyi enters the game and replaces P. Gómez.
Gomez makes way after a lively performance for Malinovskiy.
Minute
Description
80'
Kondogbia cuts inside before wastefully lashing a speculative shot over from 25 yards.
79'
H. Hateboer gets yellow.
Hateboer is booked for tugging Cheryshev's shirt as the attacker tried to break forward on the halfway line.
77'
Torres puts in another cross that falls appealingly to Soler, who can only hit a disappointing volley wide.
75'
D. Zapata enters the game and replaces M. Caldara.
Caldara is replaced by Zapata as Atalanta boldly switch to a more attacking shape in the hope of killing off the tie.
73'
K. Gameiro enters the game and replaces M. Gómez.
Maxi Gomez departs with Gameiro replacing him up top.
72'
Valencia continue to pile on the pressure as they force another corner, and the set-piece degenerates into a scramble inside the six-yard box but Atalanta defend stoutly and eventually clear.
68'
Well, this game has been played at a frenetic pace and it's resulted in multiple opportunities for both sides! Valencia have already pulled one back and the nature of this match will encourage them to look for more!
66'
D. Cheryshev has scored a goal for Valencia!
CHERYSHEV IMMEDIATELY PULLS ONE BACK! 4-1! Palomino makes a costly error as he hits a wayward pass across the backline towards Hateboer, allowing Cheryshev to nip in and take full advantage by drilling a powerful, low effort into the bottom corner from 20 yards!
64'
D. Cheryshev enters the game and replaces Gonçalo Guedes.
Guedes is replaced by Cheryshev as Valencia search for anything to get back into this tie.
62'
H. Hateboer has scored a goal for Atalanta! Assist by M. Pašalić.
HATEBOER STRIKES AGAIN! 4-0! Valencia are being carved apart right now and Atalanta get a fourth as Pasalic slips a clever pass beyond the offside Ilicic and into the path of Hateboer who holds off Diakhaby before racing into the area and squeezing a weak shot in at the near post beyond a helpless Domenech!
Ilicic was offside and couldn't receive the pass from Pasalic, but Hateboer remained alert to storm past Gaya and onto the throughball, before knocking a composed finish beyond Domenech.
59'
Valencia are in real trouble now - they desperately need to find an away goal to give themselves a chance in the return leg.
57'
R. Freuler has scored a goal for Atalanta!
BRILLIANT STRIKE FROM FREULER! 3-0 ATALANTA! The hosts have been pressing the Valencia backline furiously and it pays off as Gomez robs Parejo before Freuler takes over and whips a curling shot from 25 yards that bends delightfully beyond Domenech and into the top corner by the far post!
56'
Toloi makes a rare foray forward from the back and drives all the way into the Valencia penalty area before lobbing in a cross that Pasalic can't quite flick onto Gomez, allowing the away side to clear.
54'
Valencia try and piece together a spell of pressure as they force another corner, but they work it short and Parejo's eventual delivery is easily cleared.
48'
Atalanta start the second half with similar intent to the first as Gomez jinks past Wass down the left flank, before standing up a cross that Mangala stabs away for a corner. However, the resulting set-piece is cleared comfortably by the away side and Atalanta are forced to rebuild from the back.
46'
Atalanta get the second half underway.
45' +1
HALF TIME: Atalanta 2-0 Valencia
44'
Atalanta's attackers have found pockets of space in behind Valencia's midfield two all half and it's led to both goals.
42'
J. Iličić has scored a goal for Atalanta! Assist by M. Pašalić.
Ilicic makes it two! 2-0! Well, Valencia failed to make their pressure count in the last 10 minutes and Atalanta punish them! Pasalic innocuously squares a pass to Ilicic on the edge of the area, where the attacker craftily shimmies past a challenge before lashing a brilliant shot across goal and into the top left corner from 20 yards!
It was a regular pass from Pasalic into the feet of Ilicic on the edge of the box, but that's all the attacker needed as he ducked inside before firing a super effort into the top corner. Domenech got a hand to it, but the shot was simply too powerful!
41'
Gomez bursts onto Ilicic's threaded pass before blazing a one-on-one over the bar, although his blushes are spared by the linesman raising his flag after the shot.
38'
Gomez has just drifted out of the game slightly as his latest dash in behind the Valencia defence ends with a scruffy cross that the away side easily clear.
34'
The home side retaliate with a free-flowing move that falls apart at the final moment as Ilicic's scooped cross drifts past Gosens at the back post.
32'
The away side are growing in confidence right now and they push forward again through Guedes who dances through a few challenges before squaring to Gomez, who has a shot from 25 yards bravely charged down.
28'
Parejo surrenders possession to Pasalic just inside the Valencia half, allowing Ilicic to spring forward on the break, but the attacker can't quite engineer enough space once he reaches the box and his eventual cross deflects into the grasp of Domenech.
26'
Gaya finds a little space on the left flank to whip in a cross towards Valencia's two strikers, but he overhits it and Gollini confidently steps out to claim the delivery.
24'
In possession, Valencia are growing into the game - they're looking comfortable and have managed to navigate their way past Atalanta's press on a few occasions. However, it's once they lose the ball that the away side look vulnerable - especially with Atalanta's sharp counter-attacks.
22'
Maxi Gomez has been one of Valencia's few outlets early on and he scurries onto a throughball down the right-wing again before being called back for an offside.
18'
Well, Atalanta will be thrilled with this start and they take a deserved lead. Their quick, direct passing has worried Valencia from the start and the away side are struggling to cope with the hosts' numerical dominance in the centre of the pitch.
16'
H. Hateboer has scored a goal for Atalanta! Assist by P. Gómez.
ATALANTA TAKE THE LEAD! 1-0! Gomez advances menacingly towards the edge of the area as the Valencia defence fearfully back off and he capitalises by stroking a devious delivery across the face of goal and towards the back post where Hateboer crashes it into an empty net!
Atalanta's talisman, Gomez, was right at the heart of that goal! The diminutive attacker has started brightly and after Valencia afforded him too much space again, he took full advantage by sliding the perfect cross for Hateboer to tap in at the back post!
13'
Maxi Gomez does well to hold it up again for the away side and he earns another free-kick out towards the touchline. The resulting set-piece is cleverly worked to Soler on the edge of the area, but he miscues his shot and Atalanta clear.
11'
While Atalanta will be disappointed to miss such a critical early opportunity, they'll be buoyed by their start. Valencia's midfield two have often found themselves outnumbered and both Gomez and Ilicic have been able to threaten as a result.
5'
Gomez nimbly darts past Parejo before going down under a heavy challenge from Wass on the edge of the area. Gomez himself, steps up to take the resulting set-piece, but he lashes a few yards over the bar following Illicic's lay-off.
3'
Atalanta try and settle any early nerves with a long, patient passing move that ends with Palomino being tripped by Gomez. Both sides are looking to simply settle into the game at the moment.
2'
Valencia start confidently as Soler nutmegs Pasalic before winning a free-kick, but eventually their spell of possession ends when Kondogbia overhits a searching pass.
1'
Valencia get the first half underway.
Hello and welcome to live commentary of this Champions League last-16 first leg between Atalanta and Valencia. For Atalanta, this could well be one of the biggest games in the club’s history: this is their debut season in the Champions League and a tie against Valencia represents a unique opportunity for the team from Bergamo to gate-crash the last eight.
SUBS: Ruslan Malinovskiy, Marco Sportiello, Duvan Zapata, Timothy Castagne, Mattia Caldara, Adrien Tameze, Luis Muriel.
Valencia will sense a similarly glorious opportunity though. The Spanish side sit seventh in La Liga and they’ll be looking to capitalise on their excellent work to top a demanding group featuring Chelsea and Ajax. They too will be taking in the enormity of the occasion: the away side last made it to this stage in the 2012/13 season and it’s been 13 years since they managed to get beyond this point in the competition.
VALENCIA (4-4-2): Jaume Domenech; Daniel Wass, Eliaquim Mangala, Mouctar Diakhaby, Jose Gaya; Ferran Torres, Daniel Parejo, Carlos Soler; Maxi Gomes, Goncalo Guedes.
The players are emerging from the tunnel and kick off is just seconds away!
ATALANTA (3-4-1-2): Pierluigi Gollini; Rafael Toloi, Jose Luis Palomino, Berat Djimsiti; Hans Hateboer, Marten de Roon, Remo Freuler, Robin Gosens; Mario Pasalic; Josip Ilicic, Alejandro Gomez.
This game is still precariously balanced though: Valencia will feel confident about securing an away goal after creating a number of chances in the first 45, while Atalanta will be equally hopeful about adding to their already strong lead.
The result means that Atalanta will enter the second leg as overwhelming favourites to progress, but Cheryshev's away goal will provide Valencia with a glimmer of hope when they meet once more.
Commentary
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