MILAN, Italy, Jan 15, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Atalanta creeped closer to Serie A
leaders Napoli on Tuesday after drawing an entertaining match with Juventus
1-1 and moving to within four points of the summit, while AC Milan came from
behind to beat Como.

Mateo Retegui salvaged a point for Atalanta with a close-range header 12
minutes from time, not long after returning to action from the bench
following four weeks on the sidelines with a hamstring injury.

The Italy striker's finish, which levelled Pierre Kalulu's 54th-minute opener
for Juve, put him out on his own at the top of the Serie A scoring charts on
13 goals and pushed Atalanta to 43 points, ahead of table-topping Napoli's
crucial trip to Bergamo this coming weekend.

Gian Piero Gasperini's side, who are bidding for their first league title
after winning the Europa League last season, sit level on points with second-
placed Inter Milan.

However, champions Inter have two games in hand on both Atalanta and Napoli
and play the first of those fixtures against Bologna at the San Siro on
Wednesday.

"It was a great match tonight, and I'm very happy with the way my boys
played," said Gasperini to Sky.

"It was difficult going behind because we were hoping to go ahead but I think
at the end of the day a draw is probably a fair result."

Tuesday's draw was Atalanta and Juve's rescheduled fixture due to their trip
to Saudi Arabia to contest the Italian Super Cup earlier this month with
Inter and winners AC Milan.

Juve were again without a recognised striker due to an injury crisis which
has left both Dusan Vlahovic and Arkadiusz Milik sidelined but Thiago Motta's
side were a constant threat.

Moments before his opener Kalulu watched on in frustration as his glancing
header hit the inside of the post and was just scooped off the line by
Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi.

And Kenan Yildiz put wide a great chance to snatch a last-gasp win deep in
stoppage time, shortly after substitute Nicolo Zaniolo slapped a golden
opportunity for the hosts straight at Juve goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio.

"To draw like that in the closing minutes hurts a bit. We played well and had
the chances to win today," said Kalulu.

Juve remain unbeaten but have now drawn 13 of their 20 league fixtures and
sit fifth, 13 points behind Napoli.

- Conceicao success -

Earlier, Theo Hernandez and Rafael Leao saved Milan from an embarrassing
defeat at Como with the goals which gave Sergio Conceicao's new team a 2-1
win.

Trailing to Assane Diao's fine low strike on the hour mark, star players
Hernandez and Leao turned the match around by the 76th minute, handing
Conceicao his first league win as Milan coach.

Tuesday's victory in one of their two games in hand moved Milan up to seventh
on 31 points, five behind fourth-placed Lazio as Conceicao tries to reignite
the Italian giants' bid for Champions League qualification.

"They (Como) are a good team with a good coach, it's not easy to play here,"
said Conceicao.

"It was an even game but we can't concede as much as we did, we need to be
more organised."

Left flank pairing Hernandez and Leao had reportedly been at loggerheads with
Conceicao's predecessor Paulo Fonseca, who was sacked at the end of December
following a dismal opening half of the season.

Both praised their new coach after he arrived just before the new year and
immediately won the Super Cup for Milan, who came from two goals behind to
beat Inter in Saudi Arabia earlier this month.

Hernandez levelled for Milan 11 minutes after Como new boy Diao's opener when
his mishit volley sliced off his left boot and looped past goalkeeper Jean
Butez.

Leao dinked home the decisive goal shortly afterwards, meeting substitute
Tammy Abraham's excellent through ball before netting his seventh goal in all
competitions.