Ademola Lookman: Nigeria forward scores to inspire Atalanta past Empoli

Ademola Lookman continued his goal-scoring form for Italian Serie A side, Atalanta on Sunday as he scored one of the two goals which lifted his team to a 0-2 win against Empoli at the Station Carlo Castellani, Empoli.

Hans Hateboer netted the opening goal as Atalanta maintained their unbeaten away record in the 2022/2023 Italian Serie A campaign.

On the back of collecting their highest points tally (24) at this stage of the game campaign, Atalanta began assertively, as Guglielmo Vicario had to be on his toes to prevent joint La Dea’s top scorer Ademola Lookman from breaking the deadlock.

In the 32nd minute, Hans Hateboer netted for the first time in over two years, after Empoli had failed to pick up the Dutch international’s presence at the back post.

Empoli were handed a reprieve when Vicario’s trailing leg denied Teun Koopmeiners from 12 yards for a fifth penalty save in 2022.

In the second half, Atalanta did not have to wait long for a decisive second goal, as Ademola Lookman found the back of the net on the stroke of the hour mark, with a stellar solo strike for his fourth goal in his last five matches.

Atalanta remained relatively untroubled in the concluding stages, as Gasperini’s side continued to showcase themselves as realistic contenders for a first-ever Scudetto title.

In contrast, Empoli remains three points off the top half of the Serie A standings following back-to-back defeats.