Atalanta go third with victory at Lazio as Roma stumble
Atalanta climbed into the Serie A Champions League places with a 2-0 win at rivals Lazio on Saturday as fellow top-four hopefuls Roma stumbled to a 1-1 draw against lowly Lecce.
Goals from Davide Zappacosta and Rasmus Hojlund saw the Bergamo club jump from sixth to third, leapfrogging Lazio, reigning champions AC Milan and Roma in the fierce battle to qualify for Europe's top club competition.
Maurizio Sarri's Lazio, who could have overtaken city rivals Roma with a win at the Stadio Olimpico, dropped to sixth and lie two points off the top four. Atalanta, Roma and fifth-placed Milan are level on 41 points but remain some 15 points behind runaway leaders Napoli.
Atalanta made the breakthrough in a breathless encounter in the Italian capital when Zappacosta unleashed a sweet strike into the top corner in the 23rd minute. Young Danish striker Hojlund doubled the advantage for Gian Piero Gasperini's men in the 65th minute, converting Ademola Lookman's cross as Lazio were made to pay for not taking their opportunities.