Olympico madness: Roma overturn deficit against Atalanta in three minutes

Roma continue their run of victories

Roma kept their Serie A symphony playing, turning the tables on visitors Atalanta to transform a one-goal deficit into an emphatic 2-1 win at the Olimpico this Saturday evening in the third round.

The first half swung one way then the other. Then, at the start of the second, the game caught fire. Atalanta stunned the hosts with the opening goal in the 47th minute, sparked by the individual brilliance of Charles De Ketelaere, who beat Mario Hermoso and burst forward down the left before rolling it back to Nikola Krstovic. Defensive confusion followed. Evan Ndicka intervened, then Bryan Cristante, and the loose ball dropped kindly for Ederson, who lashed an unstoppable rocket into the net from 14 yards.

Roma piled on the pressure in search of a way back, leaning on the corner-kick weapon that swelled to 14 corners across the match. The 90th minute finally smiled on them. Hermoso rose completely unmarked to a fine cross and powered a header into the net for the equaliser, dragging the game back to square one.

Matias Soule crowned the thrilling comeback in the third minute of stoppage time. He toyed with the defence on the right flank, cut inside past Davide Zappacosta, then fired a powerful shot into the tight gap between goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi and the near post. The Olimpico erupted.

That late winner preserved Roma's perfect start and sealed a third consecutive victory. They climb to the top of the table on a maximum 9 points, ahead of Inter in second on goal difference. Atalanta stay frozen on 6 points in seventh, tasting their first defeat of the season.

Now the Wolves of the Capital switch their focus to the continental stage. They travel to Turkey to face Fenerbahce next Thursday to open their Champions League campaign, before returning to domestic action away at Torino on 14 September, then bracing for the eagerly awaited clash with Inter in the battle for top spot on 19 September.