Ademola Lookman delivered the efficiency of a lifetime on the largest evening of his profession, scoring a sensational hat-trick to propel Atalanta to a 3-0 win over favorites Bayer Leverkusen within the UEFA Europa League remaining. Xabi Alonso’s males, who had not tasted defeat of their earlier 51 matches in all competitions, couldn’t maintain a candle to Gian Piero Gasperini’s warriors. Atalanta didn’t give them room to breathe, and Lookman ensured his pictures discovered the again of the web.
A Masterclass From Gian Piero Gasperini’s Atalanta In UEFA Europa League Remaining
Bundesliga winners Bayer Leverkusen got here into the match in stellar type. They’d loved a historic unbeaten home season, ending 17 factors away from second-placed Stuttgart. Alonso earned plaudits for orchestrating dramatic comebacks, time after time, sport after sport. Sadly for him and his boys, Gasperini’s Atalanta didn’t give them the prospect to search for.
Below Gasperini, Atalanta have developed a status for taking part in an explosive model of soccer. They press laborious from begin to end, with out pause or hesitation, forcing the opposition to make a mistake. In fact, the aggressive type doesn’t at all times work. Many groups have performed round their frantic press, exploited the gaps they left behind. Nevertheless, Leverkusen might discover the antidote in time to avoid wasting their match.
Atalanta pressured Leverkusen to provide the ball away within the seventh minute, resulting in an honest likelihood for Gianluca Scamacca. The middle-forward, nevertheless, couldn’t get a clear contact and the ball went out of hazard. 4 minutes later, Lookman struck, darting into the field from the left to use the completion to Davide Zappacosta’s low cross into the realm. Lookman added two extra on both aspect of halftime to seal the win, however Atalanta might have had just a few extra if they’d been much more medical.
On the Aviva Stadium on Wednesday (Could 22), Atalanta tried 10 pictures, seven of which landed on course. They fortunately surrendered possession (33 vs 67) and performed rather a lot fewer passes (236 vs 564), however unsettled Leverkusen with ease. They made 11 interceptions, blocked two pictures, and had 23 clearances. And when on possession, they didn’t waste passes when switching play, delivering 26 correct lengthy balls.
An Ademola Lookman Masterclass In opposition to Bayer Leverkusen
Atalanta performed an outstanding sport in opposition to Leverkusen. However it might have counted for naught had Lookman not been there to use the completion. Whereas his opening aim showcased his consciousness as an attacker, the opposite two make clear his razor-sharp ending.
Within the twenty sixth minute, he picked up the ball round 40 yards away from aim. He progressed by means of the inside-left channel earlier than stepping previous Granit Xhaka’s problem, reducing inside, and discovering the bottom-right nook with a shot from the sting of the ‘D’.
His third aim got here within the seventy fifth minute, once more by means of a superb little bit of wing play. Receiving the ball from Scamacca simply contained in the field, Lookman pulled off a neat step-over the take the ball vast of the field earlier than dispatching a thunderous left-footed drive to seek out the top-right nook. Scoring the third aim with solely quarter-hour to play, Lookman ensured Atalanta’s first main trophy since 1963, turning into a membership legend within the course of.
