Ademola Lookman delivered the performance of a lifetime on the biggest night of his career, scoring a sensational hat-trick to propel Atalanta to a 3-0 win over favorites Bayer Leverkusen in the UEFA Europa League final. Xabi Alonso’s men, who had not tasted defeat in their previous 51 matches in all competitions, could not hold a candle to Gian Piero Gasperini’s warriors. Atalanta did not give them room to breathe, and Lookman ensured his shots found the back of the net.
A Masterclass From Gian Piero Gasperini’s Atalanta In UEFA Europa League Final
Bundesliga winners Bayer Leverkusen came into the match in stellar form. They had enjoyed a historic unbeaten domestic season, finishing 17 points clear of second-placed Stuttgart. Alonso earned plaudits for orchestrating dramatic comebacks, time after time, game after game. Unfortunately for him and his boys, Gasperini’s Atalanta did not give them the chance to look up.
Under Gasperini, Atalanta have developed a reputation for playing an explosive brand of soccer. They press hard from start to finish, without pause or hesitation, forcing the opposition to make a mistake. Of course, the aggressive style does not always work. Many teams have played around their frantic press, exploited the gaps they left behind. However, Leverkusen could find the antidote in time to save their match.
Atalanta forced Leverkusen to give the ball away in the seventh minute, leading to a decent chance for Gianluca Scamacca. The center-forward, however, could not get a clean contact and the ball went out of danger. Four minutes later, Lookman struck, darting into the box from the left to apply the finishing touch to Davide Zappacosta’s low cross into the area. Lookman added two more on either side of halftime to seal the win, but Atalanta could have had a few more if they had been even more clinical.
At the Aviva Stadium on Wednesday (May 22), Atalanta attempted 10 shots, seven of which landed on target. They happily surrendered possession (33 vs 67) and played a lot fewer passes (236 vs 564), but unsettled Leverkusen with ease. They made 11 interceptions, blocked two shots, and had 23 clearances. And when on possession, they did not waste passes when switching play, delivering 26 accurate long balls.
An Ademola Lookman Masterclass Against Bayer Leverkusen
Atalanta played a superb game against Leverkusen. But it would have counted for naught had Lookman not been there to apply the finishing touch. While his opening goal showcased his awareness as an attacker, the other two shed light on his razor-sharp finishing.
In the 26th minute, he picked up the ball around 40 yards away from goal. He progressed through the inside-left channel before stepping past Granit Xhaka’s challenge, cutting inside, and finding the bottom-right corner with a shot from the edge of the ‘D’.
His third goal came in the 75th minute, again through an excellent bit of wing play. Receiving the ball from Scamacca just inside the box, Lookman pulled off a neat step-over the take the ball wide of the box before dispatching a thunderous left-footed drive to find the top-right corner. Scoring the third goal with only 15 minutes to play, Lookman ensured Atalanta’s first major trophy since 1963, becoming a club legend in the process.
