Europa Cup:Nkunku’s brace secures semi-finals place for RB Leipzig over Atalanta
RB Leipzig's French midfielder Christopher Nkunku (C) celebrates after opening the scoring during the UEFA Europa League quarter-final, second-leg football match between Atalanta and RB Leipzig on April 14, 2022 at the Azzurri d'Italia stadium in Bergamo. Image credit: Getty Images
By Our Sports Desk
Europa League Quarter-final Second leg, Gewiss Stadium – Atalanta 0 RB Leipzig 2 (Nkunku 18’, 87’) (RB Leipzig win 2-1 on aggregate
RB Leipzig advanced to the Europa League semi-finals after Christopher Nkunku helped his side to a 2-0 win against Atalanta.
Atalanta started the brightest but it was Leipzig who broke the deadlock through Nkunku for his 29th goal of the season in all competitions.
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Konrad Laimer broke forward and did excellently to lose his man, before pulling a cross back to Nkunku who – in his form – was never going to miss, as his close-range effort clipped the post before nestling into the net.
There was a huge penalty shout early in the second half from the Atlanta players, after a free kick on the edge of the box ricocheted off of the hand of a Leipzig player in the wall. The referee was nudged to go to the monitor by VAR, but refreshingly stuck with his original verdict of no penalty.
Atalanta threw everything at the Leipzig goal in search of an equaliser, but failed to cancel out Nkunku’s opener as the German side secured their place in the last four with a second from the Frenchman who sealed a 2-0 win, and the German side will face either Rangers or Sporting Braga in the semi-final.
