Pescara have been held to a goalless draw by Atalanta at home in Serie A despite the visitors playing most of the second half with 10 men.

The first chance of the game fell to the hosts in the fourth minute when Juan Quintero fired his shot over the crossbar from 20 yards.

Four minutes later Ezequiel Schelotto tested Mattia Perin with a shot before Giacomo Buonaventura narrowly headed Maximiliano Moralez's cross wide for Atalanta.

Buonaventura saw Perin palm away his drive from outside the area on the half-hour mark, and Quintero forced a good save from Atalanta goalkeeper Andrea Consigli.

Two minutes after the interval the visitors went down to 10 men as Federico Peluso was dismissed for a second bookable offence.

However, Atalanta emerged as the stronger side during the second half and went close in the 67th minute when Davide Brivio's brilliant volley came off the post.

Pescara increased the pressure on their visitors in the final minutes of the encounter, but eventually had to settle for a point.

The result means that Pescara have recovered from their back-to-back defeats and are now a point behind Atalanta in the league standings.