The replay showed it from multiple angles—the moment Koopmeiners spotted the run, the pass threading through, Lookman's first touch taking it away from danger, the cut inside that left Nuytinck on the turf, the shot that gave Audero no chance, the ball hitting post and net simultaneously. Poetry in motion, the kind of goal that looked simple but required a dozen small decisions all made correctly in the span of three seconds.
When play finally restarted, Sampdoria kicked off and immediately passed it back to their defense, but something fundamental had shifted in their shape and approach. They couldn't sit quite as deep anymore, not when chasing the game, so the defensive line pushed up five yards, maybe ten, creating more space between defense and goalkeeper while also compressing the midfield. The risk was obvious—more space for Atalanta to exploit in transition—but the alternative was sitting back for eighty-four more minutes hoping nothing else went wrong.
