Lookman Contributes a Goal, an Assist as Atalanta Humble Shakhtar

Duro Ikhazuagbe

Nigerian international, Ademola Lookman’s man-of-the-match performance last night helped Atalanta to register the club’s first away day success in the UEFA Champions League in five matches.

Lookman scored a goal and contributed an assist as Atalanta defeated Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk 3-0 in a neutral ground in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Shakhtar are playing their home matches at Schalke’s ground due to Ukraine’s ongoing conflict with Russia.

Against a backdrop of Atalanta coming from a goalless draw against Arsenal in their first game of the Champions League two weeks ago, the Europa League champions looked assertive from the start of the game.

And Lookman was at the nick of the opening goal in the 21st minute by Berat Djimsiti. The Super Eagles forward’s superb delivery of the ball into Shakhtar’s danger zone was expertly converted from close range by Djimsiti who was lurking around.

Soon after that goal, Atalanta came close to making it two as Lazar Samardzic was his effort redirected around his near post by Dmytro Riznyk for a corner kick that resulted in nothing for Gian Piero Gasperini’s side.

In the 44th minute, Lookman who was Atalanta’s hat-trick hero in the Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen last season, sublimely side-footed the ball past Shakhtar goalkeeper Riznyk for the Italian side’s second goal of the day.

Atalanta however wrapped up the game with just three minutes into the second half when Raoul Bellanova inexplicably caught defender Pedrinho napping to drive home the third goal for the Italian side.

After that goal, Atalanta took their feet off the pedal and just simply continue to enjoy the rest of their evening in Germany.

Meanwhile, the defeat leaves Shakhtar without a win so far across their last nine encounters with Italian sides. They need to do better in their next game to avoid seventh successive elimination at the first hurdle of the competition proper.

Elsewhere in another earlier kickoff, a pair of own goals meant Girona’s first-ever home UEFA Champions League game ended in a 3-2 defeat against Feyenoord.

RESULTS

Girona 2-3 Feyenoord

Shakhtar 0-3 Atalanta

Aston Villa 1-0 B’Munich

Benfica 4-0 Atletico

D’Zagreb 2-2 Monaco

Lille 1-0 R’Madrid

Liverpool 2-0 Bologna

Leipzig 2-3 Juventus

S’Graz. 0-1. C’Brugge

EUROPA LEAGUE

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