Ademola Lookman marks return with goal in Atalanta’s win over Empoli

By Monsurah Olatunji

Reigning African Player of the Year, Ademola Lookman, made a triumphant return to Atalanta’s starting lineup on Sunday, scoring in their thrilling 3-2 victory over Empoli at the Gewiss Stadium.

Lookman, who missed the 6-1 Copa Italia win over Cesena earlier in the week, was given a warm reception by the fans as he presented his African Player of the Year award before the match.

His gesture was met with great appreciation from the passionate Atalanta supporters.

Atalanta started the match with high energy but found themselves trailing in the 11th minute. Empoli’s Lorenzo Colombo took advantage of space in the box and converted a pass from Liam Henderson to put the visitors ahead.

However, Atalanta quickly responded. In the 34th minute, Davide Zappacosta delivered a well-placed cross into the box, which Charles De Ketelaere headed into the net to level the score.

Just before halftime, Lookman showcased his goal-scoring abilities, latching onto a cross from Nicolò Zaniolo and calmly poking the ball home to give Atalanta a 2-1 lead.

Lookman, who now has 8 goals and 4 assists in just 13 league appearances this season, was substituted in the 69th minute for Lazar Samardzic but had already made a significant impact on the game.

Empoli fought back in the second half and earned a penalty, with Samuele Esposito converting to make it 2-2. However, Atalanta regained the lead in the dying minutes of the match.

De Ketelaere, who had earlier scored, netted his second goal of the night with just four minutes remaining, securing all three points for Gian Piero Gasperini’s side.

Atalanta’s victory saw them leapfrog Napoli into the top spot in Serie A, with Lookman continuing to play a crucial role in their title challenge and Champions League aspirations.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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