84'

Atalanta's goalkeeper placed the ball carefully on the edge of the six-yard box and took several steps back before sending a long kick upfield toward the halfway line where bodies converged for the aerial duel.

N'Golo Kanté's Everywhere at Once legendary technique activated as Demien read the goalkeeper's body language before the kick was even taken—that supernatural ability to anticipate play and arrive in crucial areas that made Kanté so dominant—and he positioned himself perfectly for the aerial duel.

His Ball Winner trait enhanced his anticipation further, and when the ball was struck he had already timed his run using his 91 Acceleration to arrive at pace while his marker was still adjusting position, and his 73 Jumping allowed him to rise above the Roma defender and meet the ball first.

Andrea Pirlo's Deep-Lying Playmaker vision guided the header—that elite ability to see the full pitch and direct play with precision—and instead of just heading it anywhere, Demien's 79 Reactions processed where the left winger was making his run in real-time, and his header was directed downward with perfect weight into the winger's path.

The ball dropped exactly where it needed to, and the left winger collected it in stride without breaking momentum while Demien's Arturo Vidal Warrior Spirit technique kept his engine running at maximum capacity—that relentless intensity and stamina that never faded—and despite having already jumped for the header, he immediately sprinted forward to continue the attack.

His 97 Stamina meant he was still fresh despite entering in the 72nd minute and contributing at high intensity, and the left winger saw him making the run and played the return pass quickly back to Demien's feet.

Demien received in stride using Claudio Marchisio's Balanced Engine technique—that complete midfielder capability to contribute in all phases—and he was facing Roma's retreating defensive line with space ahead and options developing.

He used Curve Run Timing subtly as he slowed for half a second while receiving the ball, and the deceleration wasn't random—it was calculated to draw two Roma defenders toward him because they feared his 96 Sprint Speed would let him drive past them, and the movement created exactly the space he needed on the flanks.

He shifted the ball with a smooth touch using the outside of his right foot while opening his body toward the right side of the penalty area, and Mesut Özil's Eye-of-Needle legendary skill activated—that supernatural vision to see passing lanes that others couldn't and deliver balls with perfect weight and timing through impossibly tight windows.

His 74 Vision processed Højlund's run toward the back post before the striker had even fully committed to it, and his 87 Long Passing combined with his 82 Crossing calculated the exact trajectory needed, and Paul Pogba's Long Switch Flair added that signature quality of generating perfect pace on crosses from distance.

The cross came immediately with his right foot—driven low and hard across the face of goal with the kind of weight that only elite playmakers could generate—and it bypassed the first defender who lunged but couldn't reach it while arriving exactly where Højlund had timed his movement, and the delivery was so perfect that Højlund's bicycle kick became possible rather than desperate.

Højlund met the ball mid-air with his back to goal, and his body twisted athletically while his right foot connected cleanly with the ball in a perfect bicycle kick that sent it rocketing back across the goalkeeper toward the opposite corner.

The technique was flawless—the body positioning, the timing of the contact, the power generated through the acrobatic movement—and the ball flew past Roma's goalkeeper before he could react and crashed into the side netting with unstoppable force.

ROMA 3-3 ATALANTA

The Olimpico exploded with sound—Atalanta's away section erupting in complete mayhem while the majority of Roma supporters fell into stunned silence with many standing frozen in disbelief—and Højlund tore off his shirt immediately while sprinting toward the corner flag.

He leaped and raised the shirt above his head with both hands while his face showed pure euphoria, and behind him the entire Atalanta squad was sprinting to join the celebration while their traveling supporters bounced and screamed with flags waving frantically.

Demien was the first to reach Højlund and he grabbed him around the shoulders while shouting "THAT'S HOW YOU FUCKING DO IT!" and his face showed rare emotion, and within seconds the rest of the team had piled in creating a mass of black and blue jerseys near the corner flag.

Koopmeiners was pulling Demien's head with both hands while screaming "THE VISION! THE FUCKING VISION! ÖZIL LEVEL!" and Lookman had his arms wrapped around both of them shouting "UNREAL! ABSOLUTELY UNREAL!" and Éderson arrived last but grabbed Demien's shoulders from behind yelling "GENIUS! ABSOLUTE GENIUS! THAT CROSS WAS PERFECT!"

Roma's players stood frozen across the pitch with hands on hips and heads down—Cristante had his hands covering his face unable to believe what had happened, Matic was staring at the ground shaking his head repeatedly, and their defenders were arguing loudly with each other about who should have tracked Højlund's run while pointing fingers.

Roma's manager was animated on the touchline throwing his arms up in complete frustration before turning to shout angrily at his assistant coaches, and his face was red with fury because a two-goal lead had disappeared in seven minutes through individual brilliance he couldn't have prepared for.

Gasperini's reaction was pure joy—he was celebrating on the touchline with both fists clenched above his head and his face showing rare emotion while jumping once, and he turned to embrace his assistant coach tightly before immediately shouting tactical instructions through cupped hands for his team to stay compact because Roma would respond desperately.

"INCREDIBLE!" the lead commentator's voice was nearly shouting. "Højlund with an absolutely magnificent bicycle kick and Atalanta have leveled this match at three-all! What a turnaround!"

"And it all started from Demien Walter showing EVERYTHING," his colleague added emphatically while replays showed the sequence. "Look at this—Kanté-like anticipation to win the header from the goal kick, Pirlo's vision to direct it perfectly, Vidal's engine to keep running forward, and then Özil's Eye-of-Needle to deliver that cross with Pogba-esque flair. That vision to see Højlund's run before it developed, the weight of the pass, the timing—that's elite playmaking combining every skill in his arsenal, and Højlund's finish is world-class."

The replays showed the goal from every angle—Demien's perfectly timed jump winning the aerial duel using his Ball Winner trait, his header finding the winger with Pirlo's precision, his continued movement forward powered by Vidal's Warrior Spirit, the Curve Run Timing creating space, the defenders drawn toward him by his speed threat, the cross driven with exact weight across the six-yard box using Özil's vision and Pogba's technique, Højlund's acrobatic finish connecting cleanly.

The Atalanta supporters were absolutely delirious—jumping continuously while scarves waved above their heads in coordinated motion and their chants were deafening despite being massively outnumbered—and several fans had tears streaming down their faces while they celebrated, and one section was singing "DEMIEN WALTER, HE'S ONE OF OUR OWN!" at the top of their lungs.

Roma's curva had gone almost completely silent except for isolated attempts to restart their traditional chants, and the contrast in atmosphere was stark—one end in absolute pandemonium celebrating a miraculous comeback while the other sat in shocked disbelief at how quickly their comfortable lead had evaporated through moments of individual brilliance they had no answer for.

87' — 90'+5

The match restarted at the center circle and Roma immediately pushed players forward in desperation while trying to avoid extra time, and their attacking intent left space behind that Atalanta could have exploited if they'd chosen to counter.

Instead Gasperini's team dropped into a compact defensive shape protecting the equalizer, and they defended as a unit with disciplined positioning while clearing their lines and winning fouls to disrupt Roma's rhythm.

Roma won two corners in the eighty-ninth and ninetieth minutes and both deliveries were dangerous, but Atalanta's goalkeeper commanded his area well and collected both crosses cleanly despite pressure from Roma's attackers.

The fourth official raised his board showing five minutes of additional time, and Roma continued pushing forward with desperation while their supporters urged them on with constant noise.

In the ninety-third minute Roma won a free kick thirty yards from goal after a tactical foul from Atalanta's midfielder, and the delivery was floated into the penalty area where bodies converged.

Atalanta's center-back rose highest and headed clear powerfully, and the ball was knocked out for a throw-in that consumed another thirty seconds as Roma tried to organize their final attack.

The referee glanced at his watch as the throw-in was taken, and Roma circulated the ball once more before attempting a long pass into the box that was easily collected by Atalanta's goalkeeper.

The whistle blew immediately—three sharp blasts that confirmed full time.

FULL TIME: ROMA 3-3 ATALANTA

Players from both teams began walking slowly toward their respective technical areas while processing what had just happened, and the atmosphere in the Olimpico was split—Atalanta's section still celebrating wildly while Roma's supporters sat in frustrated silence.

Several Atalanta players pulled Demien into brief embraces as they walked, and Koopmeiners grabbed his head with both hands while saying something that looked like "fucking genius" based on his lip movement, and Lookman slapped his back hard while grinning.

"Missed you, man," Højlund said when he reached Demien, and his voice carried genuine warmth. "Welcome back properly this time."

"Good to be back," Demien replied simply.

Around them the Atalanta supporters were still roaring with flags waving and noise pouring down from the stands, and the energy felt electric despite the exhaustion visible in every player's movement.

Gasperini stood near the touchline gathering his players as they approached, and his expression was focused but controlled while he waited for the squad to assemble before delivering his extra-time instructions.

Demien took a long drink from a water bottle handed to him by a staff member, and his legs felt heavy from eighteen minutes of high-intensity football after three months away, but his mind stayed clear while he listened for what Gasperini would say next.

Thirty more minutes.

Extra time was coming.

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