Breakthrough win keeps Atalanta's hopes alive
Atalanta kept its slim hopes of reaching the Champions League knockout stages alive as it claimed a deserved 2-0 win over Dinamo Zagreb.
Goals in either half from Luis Muriel and Alejandro Gomez earned the Serie A side their first Champions League victory, having been thrashed when the sides met earlier in the campaign.
Three points for Atalanta mean there is now a three-way fight for the second qualification spot behind group winners Manchester City heading into matchday six, despite Shakhtar Donetsk's draw at the Etihad Stadium.
Gian Piero Gasperini's side still trail both Dinamo and Shakhtar, who they must beat in the final game while hoping the Zagreb side fail to beat City.
Atalanta made the more purposeful start on Tuesday and took a deserved 27th-minute lead.
The visitors looked to have escaped when Robin Gosens' thunderous volley cannoned off the crossbar, yet Dino Peric clumsily caught Muriel in his attempts to clear the rebound.
Muriel dusted himself down and made no mistake from the penalty spot, sending Dinamo goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic the wrong way with a cool side-footed effort.
The Colombian striker should have added to his tally before the interval, too, twice blazing presentable opportunities over the crossbar.
But within two minutes of the restart, Atalanta had doubled their advantage in some style as skipper Gomez cut in from the right, danced his way past Luka Ivanusec and drilled a low shot inside the left-hand post.
It was a dominant display from the hosts, who looked the more likely to grab the game's third goal, with Gomez thwarted by Livakovic late on.