Atalanta reclaimed the top spot in the Serie A standings with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Empoli on Sunday, inspired by Charles De Ketelaere’s match-winning performance. Meanwhile, Roma rediscovered their form with a dominant 5-0 win against Parma.
De Ketelaere scored twice for Atalanta, including the decisive goal in the 86th minute, sealing a hard-fought win in Bergamo. Ademola Lookman also found the net, helping Gian Piero Gasperini’s side leapfrog Napoli, who had briefly taken the lead after their 2-1 win at Genoa on Saturday.
Empoli’s Lorenzo Colombo opened the scoring in the 13th minute, but Atalanta responded swiftly. De Ketelaere equalized in the 34th minute, and Lookman—the recently crowned African Player of the Year—scored his 12th goal of the season during first-half stoppage time to put Atalanta ahead.
Sebastiano Esposito’s penalty in the 57th minute brought Empoli level again, but De Ketelaere’s late heroics ensured Atalanta’s victory. The Belgian midfielder’s fifth league goal of the season showcased his skill and composure as he navigated the edge of the box before delivering a precise left-footed strike.
Earlier, Roma responded to last weekend’s 2-0 loss at Como with a resounding win over Parma. Paulo Dybala led the charge with a brace, while Alexis Saelemaekers, Leandro Paredes, and Artem Dovbyk added to the tally. The win lifted Roma to 10th place, while Parma remains precariously positioned in 16th, just one point above the relegation zone.
Dybala’s penalty and Saelemaekers’ volley gave Roma a 2-0 lead within 15 minutes. The Argentinian added his second shortly after halftime, with Paredes converting another penalty and Dovbyk completing the rout late in the game.
In other matches, Venezia climbed off the bottom of the table with a vital 2-1 win over fellow strugglers Cagliari. Goals from Francesco Zampano and Marin Sverko secured the victory, despite Leonardo Pavoletti pulling one back for Cagliari. The result left Venezia in 19th place, one point behind Cagliari in 18th, while Monza remains at the bottom with 10 points.
Monza, however, had a chance to escape last place later on Sunday by facing Juventus, who remain unbeaten in the league this season.
