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Super Eagles winger Ademola Lookman was in action for Atlético Madrid on Saturday, helping Diego Simeone’s side grind out a hard-fought 1–0 victory away against Espanyol in La Liga.
The Nigerian international, making his ninth appearance of the campaign, started the match at the RCDE Stadium and put in a diligent shift on the flank during the first half before being replaced at the interval as part of a tactical reshuffle.
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Atlético arrived in Catalonia looking to keep pace at the summit of the La Liga table, dominating proceedings with 72% possession and racking up 15 total shots. However, Espanyol frustrated the visitors for the vast majority of the afternoon by deploying a resilient 5-4-1 low defensive block.
The tactical breakthrough eventually arrived late in the game thanks to Simeone’s second-half substitutes. Fellow substitute Julián Álvarez injected much-needed momentum into the attack, providing the decisive assist when he linked up with Álex Baena.
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With time running out and Espanyol looking poised to secure a valuable point, Baena found the net in the 89th minute, unleashing a clinical strike past goalkeeper Ángel Fortuño to break the deadlock.
The slender 1–0 victory keeps Atlético firmly rolling near the top of the standings, highlighting their patience and persistence on a day when stubborn defensive resistance threatened to upset their title charge.
