Atalanta secured a thrilling 3-2 victory over Fiorentina in Serie A, thanks to a standout performance from Super Eagles winger Ademola Lookman.
In his first appearance of the season, Lookman made an immediate impact by providing the assist for Atalanta’s opening goal and scoring the decisive third goal.
Fiorentina’s Martínez Quarta opened the scoring in the 15th minute, but Atalanta quickly leveled through Mateo Retegui, who headed home a cross from Lookman.
Fiorentina regained the lead in the 32nd minute with Moise Kean’s goal, assisted by Robin Gosens.
Just before halftime, Charles De Ketelaere equalized again for Atalanta, finishing off a pass from Ederson in the 45th minute.
A minute later, Lookman put Atalanta ahead for the first time in the match, beating the Fiorentina goalkeeper at his near post after receiving a pass from De Ketelaere.
Despite Fiorentina’s efforts to bounce back, Atalanta held firm, with Lookman playing the full 90 minutes.
His contributions not only secured the victory but also bolstered his candidacy for major individual awards.
Lookman, who was nominated for the Ballon d’Or alongside 29 other players, has strengthened his case following an impressive season with Atalanta, including a hat-trick in the UEFA Europa League final last campaign.
His performance against Fiorentina is expected to further enhance his chances for both the Ballon d’Or and the African Player of the Year award.