Europa: Muriel double not enough for Atalanta against Sturm Graz

Atalanta thought they had done enough with a Luis Muriel brace against 10-man Sturm Graz, but a late penalty saw them held 2-2 in Austria.

Teun Koopmeiners returned from injury, but Jose Luis Palomino joined El Bilal Toure on the treatment table. La Dea had a 100 per cent record and were three points clear at the top of the group, but Sturm Graz had lost just four of their last 26 competitive home games and are leading the Austrian Bundesliga.

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There was also a very special guest, as Josip Ilicic was in the stands to cheer on his old team, as he plays for Maribor just across the border in Slovenia.

The hosts took the lead with a goal out of nowhere, because the Alexander Prass shot did not seem to be causing many problems until the massive deflection off Rafael Toloi completely wrong-footed Juan Musso.

Ademola Lookman twice dribbled past defenders down the left only to make the wrong decision, but Musso flew to palm away a Jon Stankovic header after the Otar Kiteishvili cross from the by-line and smothered a Prass effort at the near post.

Lookman had a control and volley crucially charged down on a free kick routine, then Wuthrich needed a desperate lunging tackle on Koopmeiners.

Atalanta equalised with a lovely solo effort from Muriel, who nutmegged a defender before placing a snooker shot right into the far bottom corner with his right boot.

Kiteishvili almost punished Musso for rushing out with a header wide of the open goal from midfield, but in first half stoppages the game turned on its head.

Davide Zappacosta saw his shot deflected for a corner and VAR spotted that Stankovic had stuck out his trailing arm to make contact. A penalty was awarded following an on-field review and Muriel sent Kjell Scherpen the wrong way with a delicate finish.

After the restart, Muriel was denied a hat-trick by Scherpen’s outstretched leg and Sturm Graz went down to 10 men. The first yellow card for Stefan Hierlander was when he tried to dig a hole in the spot ahead of Muriel’s penalty, then he very harshly received a second for a tug on Matteo Ruggeri.

Koopmeiners and Gianluca Scamacca tested Scherpen from distance, then Scamacca’s free kick skimmed the crossbar, but moments later William Boving went on the counter from a long goal kick, cut inside Marten de Roon and was kept out by the crucial Hans Hateboer block.

That was a warning, because Sead Kolasinac was surprised by a Boving back-heel flick and charged it down with his forearm, allowing Szymon Wlodarczyk to convert the equalising penalty.

Scamacca horribly ballooned off target from 12 yards on an Ederson cut-back during a stoppage-time siege.

There is at least some good news for Atalanta, as Rakow held 10-man Sporting CP, so they remain three points clear at the top of the group.