Halftime

Away Dressing Room

Gasperini kept his message calm but firm when the squad gathered during the break, and he stood near the tactical board pointing at specific areas while his voice stayed measured.

"They're leaving space between the lines when Cristante pushes high," he said, and his marker tapped the area where gaps appeared. "Second half we move the ball faster through that zone. Don't hold possession too long—receive, scan, release before their press arrives."

The shape remained unchanged—four-four-two would continue—and Demien listened from his spot on the bench while understanding that substitutions would come later if the match required changes.

Second Half

8:45 PM

Atalanta emerged for the second half with visible urgency in their movement patterns, and the ball circulation was faster exactly as Gasperini had demanded during the interval while players moved with more purpose in possession.

48' —

The equalizer came three minutes after the restart and started from Atalanta winning the ball high up the pitch when Koopmeiners stepped in front of Cristante's pass and immediately played it forward into Lookman's feet.

Lookman received with his back to goal between Roma's midfield and defensive lines, and his first touch was clean while his second spun him away from the defender marking him, and suddenly space opened because Roma's defensive line hadn't adjusted quickly enough to the turnover.

Koopmeiners continued his run forward after making the interception and Lookman recognized the movement immediately, and his pass came with perfect weight into the space behind Roma's right-back who had pushed too high, and Koopmeiners collected the ball in stride before driving toward the penalty area.

Roma's center-back stepped out to close him down but the movement left a gap centrally, and Højlund made a diagonal run across the defender's blind side into that space while calling for the ball.

Koopmeiners' pass was driven low and hard across the face of goal, and Højlund met it with his right foot from eight yards while the goalkeeper was still adjusting his position, and the finish was clinical—side-foot placement into the bottom corner with enough power that the keeper's dive came too late.

ROMA 1-1 ATALANTA

Atalanta's players celebrated briefly near the corner flag while their small section of traveling supporters erupted in the opposite stand, and Gasperini clapped several times from the touchline before immediately gesturing for his team to stay compact because Roma would respond aggressively.

"Excellent response from Atalanta," the lead commentator said while replays showed the sequence. "That turnover from Koopmeiners triggered everything—he read Cristante's pass perfectly and then continued his run to finish the move he started."

"And Lookman's awareness between the lines," his colleague added. "His turn created the space for the pass, and once Koopmeiners was through, Roma's defense was stretched too thin to recover."

The Olimpico had quieted significantly and Roma's supporters were urging their team forward with renewed intensity, and the momentum had swung toward Atalanta for the first time in the match.

51' —

The response came almost immediately and started from Atalanta losing possession in midfield when De Roon's pass was slightly short and Matic stepped in front to intercept, and suddenly Roma had the ball in dangerous territory with Atalanta's defensive shape still adjusting from being in attacking positions.

Matic played a simple pass forward to Roma's striker who had checked his run and come short to receive, and his first touch was back toward the oncoming Cristante who arrived at pace from deep.

Cristante didn't break stride and his shot came first-time from twenty-five yards, and the strike was powerful and rising with slight curve that took it away from the goalkeeper's dive, and the ball crashed into the top corner before anyone could react.

ROMA 2-1 ATALANTA

The Olimpico exploded again and the noise was deafening while Cristante sprinted toward the corner flag with his arms spread wide, and his teammates mobbed him while the curva bounced in coordinated celebration behind the goal.

Gasperini's reaction was immediate and frustrated—he threw his arms up once before turning to shout instructions at his midfielders about pressing more aggressively to prevent Roma from building attacks so easily—and on the bench Demien watched the defensive transition that had allowed Cristante so much space to shoot from distance.

"What a strike from Cristante," the lead commentator said while replays showed the goal from multiple angles. "Atalanta gave away possession cheaply and paid the price immediately—that's elite finishing from twenty-five yards."

"The turnover was costly," his colleague agreed. "De Roon's pass didn't have enough weight and Matic read it perfectly, and once Roma had the ball in that area with Atalanta's shape stretched, they punished it ruthlessly."

Atalanta tried to respond but Roma's defensive organization was solid now that they had the lead again, and the home side controlled the tempo while looking comfortable in possession.

The next fourteen minutes passed with Roma managing the match professionally—keeping the ball when possible, defending compactly when necessary—and Atalanta struggled to create clear chances despite pushing more players forward in search of another equalizer.

65' —

The third goal came from sustained pressure rather than a single mistake, and it started with Roma winning the ball in Atalanta's defensive third after their press forced a clearance that didn't find a teammate.

Roma's winger collected the loose ball on the right side and immediately drove toward the byline while Atalanta's left-back scrambled to recover, and the cross came low and hard toward the near post where bodies converged in the six-yard box.

Atalanta's goalkeeper came out to punch but mistimed his jump slightly and only got fingertips to the ball, and it deflected upward and dropped toward goal where a Roma forward reacted first and headed it over the line from close range despite the defender's attempt to clear.

ROMA 3-1 ATALANTA

The Olimpico was deafening now and the noise rolled down from every section while red flares were lit in the curva, and Roma's players celebrated with confidence because three-one up at home meant control was firmly established.

Gasperini turned toward his bench immediately and his eyes scanned the substitutes while his mind calculated what changes were needed, and Demien felt his body tense slightly in anticipation because three-one down away from home required attacking adjustments.

"Roma are in complete control now," the lead commentator said. "Three-one up with twenty-five minutes remaining—Atalanta need something special to come back from this deficit."

"Gasperini will need to make changes," his colleague added. "The current shape isn't working and Roma are picking them apart every time they commit numbers forward."

72nd Minute

Substitution

Gasperini turned toward the bench and his eyes found Demien immediately, and he gestured once before speaking to his assistant coach who began preparing the substitution board.

"Walter," Gasperini called, and his voice was calm and direct. "You're going on for De Roon. We're shifting to a four-two-three-one. Koopmeiners drops alongside Éderson in the double pivot. You take the advanced midfield role behind the striker."

Demien nodded and stood immediately while pulling off his substitute bib, and the assistant coach raised the board showing the change.

Demien Walter

⟶ Marten de Roon

As Demien stepped toward the touchline, the system activated in his peripheral vision and text appeared in clean lines.

「MATCH MISSION ACTIVATED」

「OBJECTIVE: Score 1 Goal OR Register 1 Assist」

「REWARD: 50 MP + Performance Bonus」

「TIME REMAINING: 18 Minutes + Stoppage」

Demien smiled lightly—barely visible but genuine—and his right hand made a quick cross sign touching forehead then chest before he jogged onto the pitch while the noise swelled around him and cameras tracked his movement.

The Olimpico's roar shifted slightly as some supporters recognized him entering the match, and his number appeared on the stadium screen alongside De Roon's while the substitution was confirmed.

He took his position in the advanced midfield role behind Højlund, and when play resumed his eyes immediately scanned for spaces and his mind processed Roma's defensive shape while his body settled into the rhythm.

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