Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman returned to his club, Atalanta with promise and zeal to light up his performance after the Feeling of disappointment failing to lift the African Cup of Nations trophy in Cote d’Ivoire in February this year.
At the Aviva Stadium, in the Dublin city of Ireland, the former Everton and RB Leipzig man took it upon himself on Wednesday night as he singlehandedly delivered a trophy to his club in more than 50 years after a superlative performance that shocked the whole world.
Lookman started at the left side of the two-man attack for the Gian Piero Gasperini men in a 3-4-3 formation deployed by the Italian tactician.
The 26-year old, out of nowhere struck home early in the first half after coming from the back of the post to tap home Zappacosta’s cross to give Atalanta the lead.
The Super Eagles forward took a loose ball from inside the left wing but still had much work to do to double his tally and he did just that as his rounded Granit Xhaka before curling home a worldie.
Despite the 2-goal caution, many would think Leverkusen will fight back just as they have been doing throughout this season, scoring late goals with six out of their 31 UEFA Europa League goals coming after the 90 minutes.
The first half ended with Lookman, the man on fire with two individually-motivated goals to give Xabi Alonso much to talk about in the locker room after the first half.
Lookman was very unsatisfied with the score line at 2-0 as he returned from the break to score another wonder-goal after arriving at the left side of the pitch to offer depth for his strike-partner Scamacca who picked the ball inside his own half to drive into the final third of the Leverkusen half and then rolled it into the path of Lookman who stepped over to beat his marker and then riffled home a thunderbolt from his weaker left foot to make it 3-0 for Atalanta.
After completing his hat-trick in the 76th minute, Ademola Lookman became just the 9th man in the world to score a hat-trick in any European final, a feat that Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are yet to achieve.
Players who achieved a hat-trick in a European final:
Alfredo di Stefano (Real Madrid 1960)
Ferenc Puskás (Real Madrid 1960, 4 goals)
Ferenc Puskás (Real Madrid 1962)
Vicente Guillot (Valencia 1962)
Luis Pujol (Barcelona 1966)
Pierino Prati (Milan 1969)
Jupp Heynckes (Gladbach 1975)
Terry McDermott (Liverpool 1977)
Radamel Falcao (Atlético 2012)
ADEMOLA LOOKMAN (Atalanta 2024)
After the AFCON heartbreak, losing in the final to host Cote d’Voire, Lookman also lost another final in the Coppa Italia after being beaten by Juventus.
The former Leicester man was determined to help Atalanta lift their first trophy since they won their first and last trophy, the Coppa Italia in 1963.
After the victory, Ademola Lookman delivers the sixth slot for italina clubs in next seasons Champions League and becomes only the Fourth Nigerian player to score in a European cup final after Finidi George, the current Super Eagles coach, Alex Iwobi and Joe Aribo as he remains the only Nigerian to score a hat-trick in a European final.
