46' - 50' | Second Half Begins - Control Phase

Both teams emerged from the tunnel with Inter's change immediately visible because Bolu Marino wasn't in the starting lineup anymore, and instead Kristjan Asllani jogged toward the center circle wearing the number 23 while Bolu stood near the dugout in his substitute's bib with his arms crossed.

The crowd noticed and a ripple of conversation spread through the Curva Nord about what the substitution meant tactically, and when Inter lined up for the restart their shape was visibly different—both holding midfielders positioned five yards deeper than they'd been in the first half, the defensive line more compact, the fullbacks not pushing as high.

Fweeeeeetttttttt!!!!!

The whistle blew and Inter kicked off.

Lautaro Martínez tapped it backward to Brozović who immediately played it square to Acerbi, and the center-back's first touch took him laterally before he passed it across to De Vrij, and Inter's opening circulation was patient and measured rather than urgent.

The ball moved across the back line—De Vrij to Bastoni, Bastoni back to Acerbi, Acerbi to the goalkeeper Onana—and Atalanta didn't press high to challenge it because Gasperini's instructions had been clear about staying compact.

Atalanta's defensive line dropped ten yards deeper than their first-half positioning, and the midfield trio of Koopmeiners, De Roon, and Demien all operated in a more condensed area rather than spreading across the width of the pitch.

The crowd adjusted with them—still loud but more patient now, the noise sustained rather than explosive—and the atmosphere carried expectation that Atalanta would manage the match professionally rather than chasing a fourth goal unnecessarily.

At the 47th minute, Demien received his first meaningful touch of the second half when De Roon played him the ball centrally, and immediately Asllani closed from behind while Barella approached from the side to create secondary pressure.

Demien's first touch controlled the ball cleanly, and his second was a simple one-touch pass back to Koopmeiners who had shown for support, and the entire sequence took two seconds without any attempt to turn or carry forward.

Andrea Pirlo: Deep-Lying Playmaker influence showing clearly—receiving under pressure, maintaining possession through intelligent angles, slowing the game deliberately rather than forcing accelerations.

Koopmeiners recycled to Hateboer on the right flank, and Atalanta's buildup continued without penetrating centrally because the instruction had been tempo management rather than goal-seeking.

Commentary

"Interesting tactical adjustment from both sides here," the lead commentator observed. "Inter sitting much deeper, protecting the space that hurt them in the first half. Atalanta responding by slowing the tempo and keeping possession rather than pushing for a fourth."

"Smart from Gasperini. No need to chase the game when you're three-nil up. Make Inter work to win the ball back, tire them out mentally and physically by forcing them to chase for forty-five minutes."

At the 49th minute, Inter committed their first meaningful attacking moment of the half when Barella received in midfield and drove forward with purpose, and his pass found Dumfries making an overlapping run down the right flank.

Dumfries' first touch took him toward the byline while Mæhle tracked back to cover, and when the Dutchman crossed toward the penalty area the delivery came low and hard toward the near post.

But Djimsiti read it perfectly and stepped across to block the cross with his shin, and the ball deflected behind for a corner while the crowd exhaled collectively because that was Inter's first dangerous entry into the final third since the restart.

The corner came in with pace toward the six-yard box where Inter's tallest players had crowded, but Musso punched clear with both fists and the ball flew back toward the halfway line where De Roon controlled it and immediately looked to restart Atalanta's possession.

Gasperini clapped once from the touchline—sharp and controlled—and his right hand gestured downward in that universal signal to stay calm and keep the defensive shape compact.

***

51' - 58' | Inter Grow Into The Game

The first warning came at the 52nd minute when Inter's buildup created space through patient circulation rather than direct penetration.

Brozović received from Bastoni near the halfway line and played it forward to Çalhanoğlu who had dropped deeper to receive, and the Turkish midfielder's first touch took him away from Koopmeiners' pressure before he played it wide to Gosens who had pushed higher on the left flank.

Gosens drove toward the byline while Hateboer tracked back to defend, and when the German winger reached the edge of the penalty area his cross came low and hard toward the penalty spot rather than floating high toward the back post.

Barella had made a late run from midfield and arrived at the ball unmarked because Koopmeiners' positioning had been drawn toward Çalhanoğlu's movement, and the Italian's first-time shot came with his right foot aimed toward the bottom corner.

But De Roon had recovered quickly and threw his body into the shooting lane, and the ball struck his thigh and deflected behind for another corner while the away section erupted in frustrated groans because that had been Inter's clearest chance of the match.

On the touchline, Inzaghi's hands clapped twice in approval of the movement even though the finish hadn't resulted in a goal, and his voice carried across the pitch telling his players to keep committing runners into those spaces.

Gasperini responded by gesturing toward Koopmeiners and pointing at the area where Barella's run had originated, and the message was clear about tracking late runners more aggressively.

At the 55th minute, Demien was pressed harder than he'd been in the opening ten minutes of the half.

He received a pass from Tolói near the center circle with his back to Inter's goal, and immediately Asllani closed from behind with physical contact designed to prevent any comfortable turn—hands on Demien's waist, body weight pressing forward, legs positioned to intercept lateral movement.

Demien absorbed the contact—Claudio Marchisio: Balanced Engine activating to maintain balance despite the pressure—and instead of trying to spin away or carry the ball forward he simply let it roll across his body while turning minimal degrees and played it immediately back to Tolói with his left foot.

One touch. Simple. Safe.

The crowd applauded the decision rather than the skill—appreciating the intelligence of playing the percentage pass rather than forcing a dribble that could lose possession in a dangerous area—and scattered voices shouted encouragement while Atalanta recycled possession backward.

In the stands, Sophia clapped once quietly while her hands came together and separated without making much sound, and her expression stayed focused on the pitch while Demien jogged away to find a new position.

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