Bologna win 6 straight for 1st time in decades as UCL dream nears reality

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ROME (AP) — Bologna's unexpected chances of reaching the Champions League are growing match by match.

Thiago Motta's team produced a 2-1 comeback win at Atalanta on Sunday to strengthen its hold on fourth place and weaken the hopes of a direct rival for a spot in the top European club competition.

It was Bologna's sixth straight win in Serie A — a feat it has managed only twice before, having won a club-record 10 consecutive games in 1963-64 and six straight also in 1967.

Bologna won the last of its seven Serie A titles in 1964 and last played in Europe more than two decades ago when it reached the final of the 2002 Intertoto Cup.

"I'm not even thinking about (Europe) now," Motta said. "All we're thinking about is training and playing well."

Joshua Zirkzee and Lewis Ferguson scored three minutes apart during the second half for Bologna after Ademola Lookman had given Atalanta an early lead.

Bologna moved four points ahead of fifth-place Roma and within five points of third-place AC Milan.

Next weekend, Bologna hosts Italian leader Inter Milan.

Zirkzee's pass sent Alexis Saelemaekers toward the goal and Saelemaekers was then fouled by Teun Koopmeiners to set up a penalty kick for Zirkzee. The 22-year-old Zirkzee converted the spot kick for his 10th goal of a breakout season.

Minutes later, Bologna captain Ferguson found the target with a bouncing, long-distance volley.

"He's a warrior on the pitch and that's contagious for his teammates," Motta said of Ferguson.