Serie A | Atalanta 4-1 Lecce: De Ketelaere inspirational for first Dea victory | OneFootball

Charles De Ketelaere turned on the style as Atalanta swept Lecce aside 4-1 for their first victory of the season.

La Dea were still looking for their first win of the season after disappointing stalemates with Pisa and Parma. Gianluca Scamacca, Ederson, Sead Kolasinac and Mitchel Bakker were still out injured, with Ademola Lookman left out for failing to improve his attitude after a failed summer transfer, so Nikola Krstovic got his first start against his former teammates. Lecce had one point from two rounds without scoring a single goal. Balthazar Pierret, Matias Perez, Mohamed Kaba, Filip Marchwinski and Gaby Jean were on the absentee list.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Riccardo Sottil’s angled drive flashed inches wide from the edge of the area, while Krstovic also drilled off target.

The deadlock was finally broken by a set play, as Giorgio Scalvini rose to nod in the Nicola Zalewski corner at the near top corner.

BERGAMO, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 14: Giorgio Scalvini of Atalanta BC celebrates after scoring his team’s opening goal during the Serie A match between Atalanta BC and US Lecce at Gewiss Stadium on September 14, 2025 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Maurizio Lagana/Getty Images)

Atalanta doubled their lead straight after the restart, Krstovic laying it off with his back to goal for De Ketelaere to steer a precise finish into the bottom corner from inside indie the area with his weaker right foot.

There was almost a third moments later, as Zalewski’s ferocious free kick thumped the underside of the crossbar and bounced back out, with Wladimiro Falcone’s desperate save preventing the Mario Pasalic follow-up header.

Krstovic sprung the offside trap on an inspired De Ketelaere slide-rule pass only to fire wide under pressure from Kialonda Gaspar.

De Ketelaere’s perfectly-weighted pass again sent Krstovic clear only for the striker to get the finish all wrong at the back post against his former teammates.

BERGAMO, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 14: Nikola Krstovic of Atalanta BC competes for the ball with Owen Kouass of US Lecce during the Serie A match between Atalanta BC and US Lecce at Gewiss Stadium on September 14, 2025 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Maurizio Lagana/Getty Images)

Atalanta did get their third with a well-worked move, as De Ketelaere threaded through for Zalewski, who cut inside from the left and feinted a shot to the far post from the edge of the box, but instead drilled it low into the near bottom corner.

Moments later, De Ketelaere completed his Man of the Match performance by pouncing on a Siebert error and beating Falcone one-on-one with a finish off the inside of the left foot.

BERGAMO, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 14: Charles De Ketelaere of Atalanta BC during the Serie A match between Atalanta BC and US Lecce at Gewiss Stadium on September 14, 2025 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Maurizio Lagana/Getty Images)

With a comfortable lead, Atalanta laid off the press and allowed Konan N’Dri to surge forward, not expecting the ferocious strike into the top corner from the edge of the area to give Lecce a consolation and their first goal of the season.

It was almost 4-2 when Marco Carnesecchi got down quickly for a remarkable reaction save on the N’Dri volley, then in the same move Krstovic’s goal was disallowed as Yunus Musah was offside when rolling the assist across from the right.

Scalvini 37 (A), De Ketelaere 51, 74 (A), Zalewski 72 (A), N’Dri 82 (L)