Ademola Lookman opened his La Liga account as Atlético Madrid came from behind to secure a 4–2 victory over RCD Espanyol on Saturday.
The win ended Atlético’s three-game goal drought in La Liga and prevented what would have been their first four-match winless streak in the competition since December 2021.
Lookman, who joined Atlético from Atalanta BC during the January transfer window, has already made a significant impact. He previously scored and provided an assist in his side’s 4–0 victory over FC Barcelona in the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg, and has also found the net in the UEFA Champions League.
The 2024 African Player of the Year put Atlético 3–1 ahead against Espanyol, timing his run perfectly before nodding home a diving header at the back post from a corner.
Espanyol had started brightly at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, taking the lead in the eighth minute through Jofre Carreras. However, their advantage was short-lived as Alexander Sørloth levelled in the 21st minute with a composed finish into the bottom corner.
Giuliano Simeone then fired Atlético ahead in the 49th minute, before Sørloth added his second and the team’s fourth in the 72nd minute. Edu Expósito pulled one back late on for Espanyol, but it was not enough to spark a comeback, as the visitors extended their winless run to eight matches.
Lookman’s goal and overall performance further underline his bright start in Spain, as he continues to flourish under Diego Simeone’s guidance.
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.
