Lookman delivers perfect Gasperini response in Empoli thrashing
Atalanta forward, Ademola Lookman, let his ability do the talking for him again on Sunday as he bagged a brace in their 5-0 thrashing of Empoli away at the Stadio Carlo Castellani to move within three points of the 2024/25 Serie A title, NewsNGR Sports Extra reports.
The visitors suffered crushing disappointment in midweek as they were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League by Club Brugge when Lookman also missed a penalty which sparked outrageous comments from coach Gian Gasperini against the Nigerian.
Atalanta had to wait until just before the half-hour mark to break the deadlock, and it was in fortuitous circumstances too. Zappacosta’s cross into the box did not look too dangerous until it deflected off Emmanuel Gyasi, over Silvestri, and into the back of the net.
Before long, the away team were two to the good when Mateo Retegui tapped home Djimsiti’s flick-on from a corner, and they extended that advantage further a couple of minutes before the interval.
Lookman, who has been the focus of plenty of attention showed the class that has made him one of Atalanta’s star men as he nonchalantly rounded Silvestri before passing into an empty net for the third.
Within 10 minutes of the restart, Atalanta increased their lead as Lookman drove a second strike into the corner after being played in by Marten de Roon for his 10th league goal of the campaign.
He was taken off in the 75th minute just after Atalanta added extra gloss to the scoreline through Zappacosta’s low, controlled strike from the edge of the box.
The comprehensive win moves them within three points of leaders Inter Milan in the Serie A table ahead of their next match against Venezia on Saturday.
Lookman’s rift with Gasperini erupted after Atalanta’s shock Champions League exit against Club Brugge last Tuesday with the Italian coach singling out Lookman’s missed penalty as a key reason for their elimination.
Despite Lookman scoring just 30 seconds into the second half, his penalty miss later in the game proved costly, as Atalanta crashed out with a 5-2 aggregate defeat.
However, rather than take collective responsibility for the team’s underperformance, Gasperini publicly criticised Lookman, branding him “one of the worst penalty takers” he had ever seen.
Several Nigerian and African football legends have backed the reigning African Player of The Year against the coach’s criticism and he delivered the perfect response with the brace on Sunday.
