Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman was the star of the show last night as Atalanta secured a comfortable 3-0 win over Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League. Lookman scored a goal and had a hand in the other two as the Europa League champions dominated the Ukrainians in Gelsenkirchen.
Atalanta went into the game with a point gotten from their goalless draw with Arsenal in their Champions League opening match of this campaign. Similarly, Shakhtar had held Italian side Bologna to a goalless draw and came into yesterday’s game with a point also.
It took Atalanta only 21 minutes to take the lead as Lookman’s cross into the area found Berat Djimsiti who slid it past the Shakhtar goalkeeper. The Bergamo side went two-nil up moments before halftime when Lookman found the bottom corner of Shakhtar’s goal past his marker Marlon Gomes. He was assisted with a pass from Sead Kolasinac.
Lookman made a pre-assist pass to Davide Zappacosta who crossed into the six-yard box for a Raoul Bellanova header to take Atalanta three goals up and seal their victory.
Lookman was brought off just before the hour mark, with his performance having secured the Italians all needed three points. The Nigerian was awarded Man of the Match, further cementing his position as the leading candidate for the African Footballer of the Year Award.
Another Nigerian striker Victor Boniface had on Tuesday scored Bayer Leverkusen’s winner against Italian giants, AC Milan.
