Super Eagles star Ademola Lookman has put the penalty controversy with Atalanta coach Gian Gasperini firmly behind him, delivering a sensational brace to propel his team to a dominant 4-0 victory away from home.

The Nigerian forward was unstoppable at the Stadio Carlo Castellani on Sunday evening, scoring twice as Atalanta crushed Empoli in a statement performance.

His latest brace not only secured three points but also sealed his place in Serie A history, Footballrover reports.

Ademola Lookman shines as Atalanta dominate Empoli

Atalanta took the lead in the 28th minute after Emmanuel Quartsin Gyasi mistakenly turned the ball into his own net.

Five minutes later, Mateo Retegui doubled the visitors’ advantage, putting them in complete control.

Lookman then stepped up just before halftime, firing home to make it 3-0. Ten minutes into the second half, he struck again, sealing his brace and giving Atalanta an unassailable 4-0 lead.

Davide Zappacosta later added the finishing touch in the 74th minute to cap off a five-star performance.

With his two goals, Lookman recorded his 23rd goal contribution of the season—12 league goals, five assists, five Champions League goals, and one assist—setting a new Serie A milestone.

From penalty saga to record-breaking form

Lookman’s resurgence is remarkable, especially after the public criticism from Gasperini, who once labeled him “one of the worst penalty takers” following his miss against Club Brugge in the Champions League playoffs.

Before that, he had scored all four of his previous penalties, while designated taker Retegui had only converted two of four attempts.

Despite the setback, Ademola Lookman has silenced his critics by consistently delivering for Atalanta.

His double against Empoli marks his second consecutive game on the scoresheet, reinforcing his importance to the squad.

The Nigerian forward, who played a vital role in Atalanta’s Europa League triumph last season with a historic final hat-trick, has now become the first player to score more than 10 goals in each of the last three Serie A campaigns since 2022/23.

However, he was denied the chance for a hat-trick, as he was substituted in the 76th minute. But with his current form, he might still find the net in their next fixture against Venezia.

Ademola Lookman, who won the Man of the Match award, has now netted 36 goals in Serie A.

Among Nigerian players, only Victor Osimhen has scored more, surpassing the Atalanta star with 29 goals.

Ademola Lookman is back—and he’s rewriting Serie A history.

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Last Updated on February 23, 2025 11:29 pm by footballrover