By Wale Mustapha
Atalanta head coach Ivan Juric has commended Nigerian winger Ademola Lookman for his impactful performance in the club’s 2-1 comeback victory over Club Brugge in their UEFA Champions League Matchday Two fixture on Tuesday night.
Making his first start of the season for La Dea, Lookman played a key role as the Italian side overturned an early deficit to secure a crucial win at the Gewiss Stadium.
The Super Eagles star was lively on the flank before being substituted midway through the second half.
Brazilian defender Ederson also featured in the match, coming off the bench in the closing stages. Juric reserved praise for both players, highlighting their importance to the squad.
“They’re quality players. They’ve been training with us for a while, and I think today was a good opportunity for them to start playing in matches,” Juric told Sky Sport Italia.
The win keeps Atalanta on track in Group D, with Lookman now expected to gain more minutes as he works his way back into regular contention, following a difficult period linked to uncertainty around his future at the club.
The 26-year-old joined Atalanta permanently after an impressive debut campaign last season and is widely seen as a key attacking asset for the Bergamo-based outfit.
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.
