By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Atalanta recorded back-to-back UEFA Champions League away victories with a commanding 3–0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt, following their earlier triumph against Olympique de Marseille.
The result lifted the Nerazzurri to 10 points from five matches and marked a perfect UCL debut for head coach Raffaele Palladino.
The first half built gradually before intensifying in the 35th minute, when Atalanta came agonisingly close to opening the scoring.
Ademola Lookman struck the base of the post with a precise left-footed effort, immediately followed by Gianluca Scamacca smashing the upright with a powerful shot. Despite the pressure, the sides went into halftime level.
After the break, Atalanta stepped up their intensity, producing a decisive six-minute spell that sealed the game.
Lookman opened the scoring just after the hour mark, guiding Charles De Ketelaere’s cross into the net with a composed first-time finish.
Three minutes later, Éderson doubled the lead by turning in Lookman’s cut-back from close range. Moments later, after Scamacca hit the crossbar again, De Ketelaere reacted quickest to the rebound to complete the 3–0 rout.
Atalanta’s dominant second-half display ensured a statement win, reinforcing their position in the Champions League standings and underlining their growing European credentials.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey 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.
