Atalanta temporarily climb back into the top four of Serie A after their 3-1 victory Herb on Friday evening in the Gewissstadion.
Mario Pasalic scored twice in the second half, on either side of a fine attack by Luis Muriel to get La Dea started.
The odds were rare in the first half, but both sides could have taken the lead with at least one big chance each.
Pasalic headed next to Atalanta, but their best chance got in the way Josip Ilicic Jeroen Zoet was in no man’s land when he played a bad ball that was lost, but Martin Erlic did a great job of blocking with his head while Ilicic tried to lift a shot into a nearly empty target.
Matteo Ricci forced a fine Marco Sportiello at the other end. Found by a sublime Daniele Verde through the ball, his low bet was cleverly saved by the Atalanta goalkeeper.
La Dea tends to be dangerous in the minutes either side of half time and it turned out to be again as they scored twice within ten minutes of the restart. Ilicic and Joakim Maehle combined to turn Pasalic for the first time, with the Croat composing himself and taking the time to finish easily.
Luis Muriel made it two minutes later. Robin Gosens went to the Colombian who took a tap to set himself up before curling perfectly into Zoet’s top corner.
Muriel was replaced by fellow countryman Tobacco Zapata that did not take long to participate. After receiving a cross from Gosens, he played a perfect ball in Pasalic’s path and number 88 kept a cool head to start his second.
Atalanta’s own young attacker Roberto Piccoli, on loan to Spezia, got off the couch and scored past his parent club with his first touch.
Victory leaves Atalanta in fourth place with 52 points, but Roma can make them another leap forward on Sunday with a victory in Parma.