Ademola Lookman ran the show for Atalanta on Sunday in their 5-0 thrashing of Empoli at the Carlo Castellani Stadium, Afrosport reports.
Lookman, who was recently criticised by manager Gian Piero Gasperini after their UEFA Champions League exit, scored a brace to help La Dea reduce their gap on Serie A leaders Napoli.
- Nerazzurri a 🖐️ stelle 💫
A five-star display from these lads 🌟🙌@acqua_lete | #EmpoliAtalanta 0-5 FT #GoAtalantaGo ⚫️🔵 pic.twitter.com/ilKeU9PEZW
— Atalanta B.C. (@Atalanta_BC) February 23, 2025
Atalanta opened the scoring in the 27th minute with Ghanaian forward Emmanuel Gyasi turning the ball into his own net for an own goal.
The visitors doubled their lead six minutes later through Italian forward Mateo Retegui, who tapped home at the back post for his league-leading 21st goal of the season.
Lookman joined the party in the 43rd minute, with the 27-year-old rounding goalkeeper Marco Silvestri before hitting the back of the net.
The reigning African Footballer of the Year got his brace 10 minutes into the second half. After receiving a through ball from Martin de Roon, Lookman sidestepped an Empoli defender before unleashing a thunderous left-footed finish into the corner from inside the box.
The Nigeria international took his season tally to 17 goals and seven assists, including 12 goals in 20 Serie A games.
Atalanta, however, completed their rout in the 74th minute through defender David Zappacosta, with the Italian finding the bottom corner with a right-footed strike from the edge of the box.
The win took La Dea to 54 points after 26 games, as they remained third in the league standings and reduced their gap to the top to just three points.
Gasperini’s men will be at home to 19th-placed Venezia at the Gewiss Stadium in their next game on Saturday, 1 March.
