Lookman’s Efforts Not Enough for Atalanta, Brugge Progress to Knockout
*Feyenoord knock out AC Milan, to play Inter or Arsenal in Last 16
Duro Ikhazuagbe
Ademola Lookman’s efforts were not enough to rescue Atalanta from crashing out of the UEFA Champions League against Belgian side Club Brugge. Brugge won the second leg 3-1 and qualified 5-2 aggregate into the Last 16 round of the foremost club competition in Europe.
After Atalanta lost the first leg through a controversial penalty goal helped the Belgians to a 2-1 slim edge, Coach Gian Piero Gasperini was expected to throw everything in his arsenal into this second leg.
That was not to be as it was the visitors who raced to a 3-0 advantage in the first 45 minutes.
Chemsdine Talbi got the opener in the 3rd minute and added the second goal in the 27th minute before Feran Jutgla added the third in the added minutes of the first half.
However, on return from the first half break, Coach Gasperini took the risk of throwing recuperating Lookman into the mix. And it appears Atalanta’s talisman was going to change the story for the Italian side.
Barely one minute after, the Nigerian international pulled back one goal. Lookman diverted Davide Zappacosta’s cross home into Brugge net.
The deficit of the night appeared about to be wiped clean when the Super Eagles forward again stepped forward to play a penalty earned by Atalanta after VAR showed Brugge’s Christos Tzolis was adjudged to have hauled Juan Cuadrado to the ground. Lookman’s well-taken penalty kick, was shockingly, saved by Brugge’s goalkeeper Simon Mignolet.
Before that penalty, Lookman’s other effort was overruled as scored from an off side position. And so began the frustration of near misses as Atalanta’s wait for their consecutive home win in the Champions League goes on un-end. For Brugge, they will know on Friday who they will play in the Last 16 between Lille and Aston Villa next month.
Meanwhile, another Italian side, AC Milan with Super Eagles Samuel Chukwueze in the mix, also crashed out of the Champions League after being held to a draw by Feyenoord in the second leg of their knockout play-off at San Siro Stadium.
The Italians wiped out a 1-0 deficit in last week’s first leg after just 36 seconds as Santiago Gimenez netted against his former club with the fastest goal in this season’s Champions League.
But Milan full-back Theo Hernandez was sent off in the 51st minute for two yellow cards and Feyenoord substitute Julian Carranza headed in the decisive 73rd-minute goal to seal a 2-1 aggregate success.
The last-16 draw, to be held on Friday, will decide whether the Dutch club face Inter Milan or Arsenal next month.
Seven-time European champions Milan had the perfect start with Gimenez’s effort.
RESULTS
AC Milan 1-1 Feyenoord
(1-2 aggregate)
Atalanta 1-3 Club Brugge
(2-5 aggregate)
B’Munich 1-1 Celtic
(3-2 aggregate)
Benfica 3-3 Monaco
(4-3 aggregate)
TODAY
Dortmund v Sporting
PSG v Brest
PSV v Juventus
R’Madrid v Man City
