Europa League final: Ademola Lookman makes Atalanta history with goal against Leverkusen

Ademola Lookman struck just 12 minutes into the Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen at Aviva Stadium. 

The 26-year-old’s corner was half-cleared by Piero Hincapie, and the Nigerian profited from the resulting sequence, connecting to Davide Zappacosta’s low cross at the far post to put Gian Piero Gasperini’s men 1-0 ahead. 

No sooner had Lookman scored the game’s opening goal than he made it 2-0 in minute 26, curling a shot from outside the penalty area into the bottom-right corner. 

The forward’s effort was Atalanta’s first-ever goal in a European final in the club’s maiden continental decider, 60 years after their European bow in September 1962. 

Furthermore, the Nigerian became the first player to score twice in a Europa League final since Luuk de Jong for Sevilla against Inter in 2020. 

Both strikes underlined Lookman's influence in Atalanta's continental title chase, having notched a goal in the marginal aggregate win over Sporting CP, scoring and assisting in the semi-final second-leg 3-0 triumph over Marseille before hitting a brace in the first 45 minutes against Leverkusen.