Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman scored his ninth goal of the season as Atalanta defeated Empoli 3-2 in a thrilling encounter at the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo.
Fresh from winning the African Footballer of the Year award last week in Marrakesh, Lookman netted Atalanta's second goal as the team came from behind to secure all three points.
Empoli took a surprise lead in the 13th minute when Lorenzo Colombo stunned the home crowd in the last game before Christmas.
However, Atalanta quickly gained control of proceedings, creating several chances without scoring until the in-form Charles De Ketelaere equalized in the 34th minute.
Just before half-time, Atalanta went ahead for the first time in the game when the Nigerian forward poked in a crucial goal to make it 2-1.
Empoli, however, remained resilient and eventually found an equalizer from the penalty spot after a VAR review.
Sebastiano Esposito’s spot kick beat Marco Carnesecchi to bring the score to 2-2.
With two minutes remaining, De Ketelaere ensured all three points for Atalanta with his second goal of the match, sealing a hard-fought 3-2 victory.
Ademola Lookman vs. Empoli in numbers
Ademola Lookman delivered a lively performance in the match, playing for 70 minutes before being substituted for Lazar Samardžić.
The Nigerian forward was involved in key moments, registering one shot on target and having another blocked.
Over the course of the game, he recorded 51 touches, successfully completed three out of four dribble attempts, and made two key passes that helped drive Atalanta’s attack forward.
In terms of passing, Lookman had a 69% success rate, completing 22 of his 32 attempted passes.
His work rate was evident as he engaged in several duels, winning four out of seven ground battles.
Although he attempted one aerial duel without success and managed only one accurate cross out of seven attempts, his overall impact was significant, highlighted by his crucial goal that turned the tide for Atalanta to spur them to the win.
