Ademola Lookman delivered a sensational performance as Atalanta thrashed Sturm Graz 5-0 in the UEFA Champions League.
The reigning African Footballer of the Year came off the bench and wasted no time making his mark, scoring a brilliant goal and setting up another in a memorable night for the Italian side.
Atalanta took control from the opening whistle, and it didn’t take long for Mateo Retegui to give them the lead. The young striker calmly slotted home after a perfectly weighted pass from Davide Zappacosta just 12 minutes into the game.
Lookman’s energy and creativity lit up the second half. He set up Charles De Ketelaere for what looked like a second goal, but VAR ruled it out for offside. Moments later, Mario Pasalic found the back of the net to double Atalanta’s advantage.
De Ketelaere finally got his goal, making it 3-0 with a clinical finish three minutes after the hour mark. Then came Lookman’s moment of magic in the 90th minute. Rising above the defenders, he powered a header into the net for his second goal of the season, putting the icing on the cake for Atalanta.
But Lookman wasn’t done yet. With the clock winding down, he weaved through defenders with ease before setting up Marco Brescianini, who smashed home Atalanta’s fifth goal of the night.
The resounding victory ended Atalanta’s five-game winless run and kept them firmly in third place with 14 points. It was a night of redemption for the team and a performance that reminded everyone of Lookman’s incredible talent.
