Lookman becomes first ever to score hat-trick in Europa League Final
The Atalanta winger's three goals guided the Italians to a Europa League trophy.
DUBLIN — Atalanta winger Ademola Lookman guided his team to their first-ever Europa League title, scoring all three goals in Atalanta’s dominant 3-0 victory over Leverkusen. Lookman is the first-ever player to net a hat trick in a Europa League final. The loss is Leverkusen’s first in all competition this season.
Lookman, who has scored 15 goals with eight assists in 43 appearances, opened the scoring in the 11th minute. The Nigerian attacker stormed down the left flank to connect with a Davide Zappacosta cutback, sneaking through the blind spot of a Leverkusen defender.
He doubled Atalanta’s lead in the 26th minute with a beautiful dribbling sequence. He received the ball in the half-space with four defenders standing between him and the goal. Lookman deftly beat a defender, sidestepping past him, and curled a beautifully struck ball into the bottom right corner.
Lookman completed his hat-trick and all but put the game away for Atalanta in the 75th. Coming off a counter-attack, Gianluca Scamacca laid the ball off to Lookman as he neared the 18-yard-box. Lookman took on elite Burkinabé defender Edmond Tapsoba, completing some sidesteps before gaining the separation to hit a powerful strike into the upper right corner.
Lookman received the Man of the Match Award from the UEFA Technical Observer panel. "For obvious reasons and his all-round enthusiasm and energy,” the panel wrote, assessing his performance. “Really sharp and his execution was spot on."
The man of the hour (or 90 minutes) himself seemed confident and unsurprised with his historic performance. "I've always had the confidence in my ability. In the past two years, I've been able to take my game to a new level and show it on a more consistent basis,” Lookman told Dublin reporters after the game. "Maybe it could have come earlier but it's come now. I'm pleased with the progress I've made but this is just the beginning. I hope for more nights like this."
Lookman is a likely candidate to join Nigeria in their World Cup qualifying matches against South Africa and Benin.