Lookman nets hat-trick as Atalanta end Bayer Leverkusen's unbeaten run to win Europa League final
Ademola Lookman scored a stunning hat-trick as Atalanta defeated Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 in the Europa League final on Wednesday, winning only the second major trophy in their 117-year history and ending the German champions' incredible unbeaten streak.
Lookman, who struggled to establish himself in the English Premier League with Everton, Fulham, and Leicester City before reviving his career in Italy under Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini, scored twice in the first 26 minutes before sealing the victory 15 minutes from time.
The victory ended Gasperini's own two-decade-long pursuit of major silverware, as his side completely outplayed Xabi Alonso's Leverkusen, also known as 'Neverlusen' after going an incredible 51 games unbeaten.
However, just as they had done in the previous two rounds against Premier League heavyweights Liverpool and three-time finalists Olympique de Marseille, Atalanta did not give their opponents a sniff to celebrate their first European final win.
"We needed to be attacking, it was not enough just to defend. We know these teams are great at attacking. Everyone was extraordinary," Gasperini told Sky Sports Italia, referring to the teams his side beat to become the first Italian winners of the competition since Parma 25 years ago.
"The way we did it was the most important thing, we deserved it without a shadow of a doubt against such a strong team. Winning the Europa League is an extraordinary achievement."
Leverkusen began the game looking unsure of themselves, and some uncharacteristically sloppy play gave Gianluca Scamacca the game's first chance, which he missed with a header from a fine Matteo Ruggeri cross.
It was an early warning shot, and the determined Italians struck within minutes when Davide Zappacosta was given far too much space down the right, before Lookman beat a flatfooted Exequiel Palacios to the cut back to score the opener.
14 minutes later, Lookman was mobbed by his teammates and substitutes, who were all in dreamland.
Another Leverkusen error gave the Nigerian forward possession, and he skipped past one defender before curling a beautiful right-footed shot into the bottom right corner from just outside the box.
The stunned Germans showed brief flashes of how quickly they can turn it on in attack, but nothing came of it, and Charles De Ketelaere came closest on the break as Atalanta showed no signs of debut final nerves or the absence of injured captain Marten de Roon.
At halftime, Leverkusen replaced defender Josip Stanisic with top scorer Victor Boniface, but little changed as both sets of travelling fans continued to make Aviva Stadium noise rivalled only by some of Ireland's famous rugby wins or memorable international football nights of the past.
Leverkusen had only failed to score once during the run, which included 42 wins in all competitions and 17 goals scored in or after the 90th minute, but there was no such comeback on Wednesday against the tenacious Atalanta defence.
"The normality is not to get defeated in the 52nd game. Normally it happens much earlier in the season. It's been quite exceptional what we have achieved and we have to be really proud," Alonso told a news conference.
"We were missing many things for sure. It's very demanding to play against Atalanta, a lot of dual situations, very physical... It happens, it's football, today wasn't our day. They were better."
Lookman, who finished his hat trick with another stunning strike into the top corner, this time with his left foot, became the sixth person to score three goals in a major European final, and the first since Jupp Heynckes for Borussia Moenchengladbach in the 1975 UEFA Cup.
When the final whistle blew, his teammates flung him into the air, marking the end of the Bergamo club's 61-year wait since their 1963 Italian Cup triumph.
"It's one of the best nights of my life," Lookman, who cradled the matchball as he collected his winners' medal, told TNT Sports.
"It was an amazing performance from the team. We did it... We made history tonight."
SportsLigue