Atalanta secured a crucial 3-0 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday night, largely thanks to a devastating five-minute spell orchestrated by Nigerian international Ademola Lookman.
The win at the Gewiss Stadium significantly boosts Atalanta’s standing in the league phase.
The match remained tightly contested through the first half, despite the Italian side creating the better chances, hitting the woodwork twice. Frankfurt, meanwhile, struggled to convert their possession advantage into clear-cut opportunities.
Five-Minute Blitz
The deadlock was emphatically broken after the hour mark, triggering a rapid-fire sequence of goals that decided the contest.
Ademola Lookman opened the scoring in the 60th minute, converting a precise cross delivered by teammate Charles De Ketelaere.
Just two minutes later, Lookman turned provider, delivering a decisive assist that allowed Éderson to double Atalanta’s lead. The quick double strike visibly deflated the German visitors.
De Ketelaere then capped off the dominant period, adding a third goal shortly thereafter to seal the 3-0 victory for the home side.
Eintracht Frankfurt’s woes were compounded when forward Jonathan Burkardt was forced off the pitch due to injury, further limiting their attacking options as they attempted to mount a comeback.
Boost for Nigeria
Lookman’s exceptional performance, featuring a goal and an assist, underscores his current rich vein of form. His strong showing in a high-stakes European fixture will be a significant confidence boost for the player and for the Nigerian national team as they prepare for the upcoming AFCON qualifiers.
Atalanta’s comprehensive win demonstrates their potential in the competition and leaves Frankfurt needing to regroup quickly after the heavy defeat.
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