47th Minute

Demien received with his back to goal, and Tonali arrived within two seconds exactly as predicted—the Italian midfielder's positioning suffocating as he stayed within touching distance but didn't commit to a tackle that could be beaten.

The pressure was immediate and intelligent. Tonali's body position prevented Demien from turning toward goal, his proximity denied time to survey options, and his defensive awareness meant any attempted dribble would be intercepted before it developed.

Demien tried to turn anyway, using his enhanced ball control (88 rating) to shield the ball with his body while his right foot dragged it away from Tonali's challenge, but the Italian midfielder's strength (85 rating) matched his own and the physical battle forced Demien wider toward the touchline where passing options disappeared into the crowd of bodies.

He managed to retain possession through pure technical ability and core strength, but the chance to transition quickly died, and his only option was playing a simple pass back to Mæhle who circulated it to Tolói near the corner flag.

Milan's defensive shape reset completely within five seconds, every player back in position, and Atalanta were left passing the ball forty yards from goal with no penetration.

In the premium seats, Sophia leaned forward slightly as she watched Demien struggle to turn, and her hands gripped the armrest with tension that reflected every challenge and every moment of pressure, and the Milan supporters around her celebrated the defensive work with satisfied nods while she sat silent and anxious.

48th Minute

Atalanta continued circulating the ball, trying to find gaps in Milan's organization, and Tolói played it forward to Pasalic who'd found space between Milan's lines.

The Italian midfielder took one touch before switching play with a diagonal pass toward Malinovskyi on the right wing, and the Ukrainian received facing forward with Theo closing from his left-back position.

Malinovskyi tried to take Theo on with a quick change of direction, but the French fullback's recovery speed was excellent and he forced the winger back toward the touchline, and Malinovskyi's cross came in early before better options developed.

The delivery was overhit, sailing beyond everyone in the box, and Tomori headed clear comfortably from the far post.

Milan built patiently from the clearance, Maignan playing short to Kjær who drove forward unopposed before switching play with a raking forty-yard diagonal toward Calabria on the opposite flank.

The Italian right-back controlled it on his chest without breaking stride, his first touch perfect, and he immediately looked to attack because that's what elite fullbacks do—they sense opportunity and exploit it without hesitation.

Hateboer closed quickly but Calabria's acceleration created separation, and the Milan right-back reached the edge of Atalanta's box before cutting back toward the penalty spot where both Giroud and Leão had made runs.

His cross whipped in low and dangerous, but Tolói attacked it bravely and cleared with a sliding interception that sent the ball spinning away for a throw-in deep in Atalanta's defensive third.

Commentator: "Milan starting to control possession now after that early Atalanta spell. Calabria finding space down that right flank again—it's been a productive area for them all night."

Co-Commentator: "Hateboer's having a difficult evening against Calabria and Leão. Every time Milan attack down that side, Atalanta look vulnerable."

50th Minute -

The throw-in came to Calabria who played it inside to Bennacer, and the Algerian midfielder's first touch took him away from Pasalic's press before he spotted Leão making a diagonal run from right to left across Atalanta's defensive line.

The pass was weighted to reach the space behind Mæhle rather than to Leão's feet, and both the Portuguese winger and Atalanta's left-back challenged for the bouncing ball simultaneously.

But Demien recognized the danger instantly from thirty yards away.

The Warrior Spirit technique activated—not consciously, not deliberately, but as an automatic response to the threatening situation—and suddenly his legs found fresh energy despite the fatigue that had been building in his thighs, and his acceleration kicked in as he sprinted toward the space where the ball was dropping.

His lungs burned and his calves protested but the technique overrode the pain signals, and he covered twenty yards in what felt like three seconds while Mæhle and Leão both went up for the header.

Mæhle won the first contact but the ball spun loose rather than being cleared, and Leão was already moving to collect it when Demien arrived like a missile.

His tackle was aggressive but clean—right foot sweeping through to take the ball before any contact with the player—and the Portuguese winger went down from the follow-through but the referee's whistle stayed silent because the challenge was perfectly legal.

The away section erupted in appreciation, two thousand Atalanta supporters recognizing crucial defensive work when they saw it, and their chant of "Atalanta! Atalanta!" cut through San Siro's atmosphere with defiant energy.

Now Atalanta had the ball in a dangerous transition moment. Milan's midfield was slightly disorganized—Tonali ten yards away and scrambling to recover, Bennacer caught between pressing Demien and covering the space in front of the defense, Díaz tracking back but still twenty yards from affecting the play.

Demien took one touch forward to control the ball properly, and the Curve Run Timing technique activated as his body shaped left toward the touchline, shoulders dropping and weight shifting to sell the feint completely.

Díaz who'd been tracking back bought the deception and adjusted his angle to cut off the wing, but Demien exploded right instead—his acceleration (91 rating) allowing him to burst into the inside channel where space had opened between Milan's midfield and defensive lines.

He covered fifteen yards in three explosive strides, and suddenly he was in a genuinely dangerous position for the first time in the second half, the kind of space that creates chances against any defense.

Calabria recognized the threat from his right-back position and made the decision to tuck inside, abandoning his wide responsibilities to close the passing lane toward Lookman who was making a run down the left wing, while Tomori held his position centrally to prevent Demien from driving directly at goal.

The space was there but closing fast—maybe two seconds before multiple defenders converged—and Demien's decision came instinctively as the Özil Eye-of-Needle technique layered over his vision and showed him Malinovskyi's movement before it fully developed.

The Ukrainian winger had been positioned on the right flank but was now drifting inside toward the far post, creating separation from Theo who was still recovering from his previous attacking run, and that diagonal movement meant he'd arrive unmarked if the ball could reach him.

Demien executed a lofted dink pass with his right foot—the ball floating over Calabria's head with perfect backspin that killed its forward momentum—and the delivery dropped exactly where Malinovskyi's stride would meet it at the edge of the six-yard box.

The Ukrainian controlled it beautifully on his chest, his first touch taking him past Theo's desperate lunging challenge, and his immediate cross whipped toward the penalty spot with pace and curve that made defenders panic.

Højlund attacked it from the near post while Kjær tried to clear from deeper, and both players challenged for the ball simultaneously with maximum commitment, but the Swedish defender's positioning was fractionally better and his header sent the ball spinning away toward the touchline before Atalanta's striker could redirect it toward goal.

Milan cleared for a throw-in. The chance died. But the intent had been clear—Atalanta could hurt Milan if they won the ball in transition and moved it quickly before the defensive shape reset.

Commentator: "Finally some attacking threat from Atalanta! Good work from Walter winning the ball back, then driving forward with purpose. The delivery to Malinovskyi was excellent, but Milan defend it well."

Co-Commentator: "That's the kind of transition Gasperini wants. Win it high, move it fast, attack before Milan can get organized. They need more moments like that."

Sophia's tension eased fractionally as she watched the chance develop, and her hands loosened their grip on the armrest while hope flickered in her chest because Demien was creating opportunities despite the circumstances, but the assist still hadn't come and time kept ticking.

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