Ademola Lookman marked his impressive performance with an assist as Atalanta beat Monza 2-0 in Monday’s fixture and jumped to the top of the Serie A table.
The win saw Atalanta now on 13 points go two points clear of Napoli and Milan.
Monza had a strong start with two clear-cut chances in the opening five minutes and Juan Musso was decisive on both occasions.
The Argentina international first tipped Stefano Sensi’s shot from the edge of the box over the bar and then denied Dany Mota Carvalho’s attempt from point-blank range.
The mood was very different in the second half as Lookman and his Atalanta teammates showed an attacking attitude creating at least two or three chances before scoring the opener.
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Rasmus Højlund then broke the deadlock in the 57th minute with his first Serie A goal. It was initially disallowed for offside but then confirmed following a VAR check.
The 19-year-old put the ball inside an empty net, making the most of a perfect assist from the left from Lookman.
The 24-year-old was instrumental to Atalanta’s second goal, which came in a similar fashion. Ederson sprinted on the right, finding his teammate at the far post. But defender Marlon slid, trying to block the shot but ended up inside the net with the ball.
Monza have become the third Serie A team to face defeat in each of the opening five league games in Italy’s top flight, following Treviso in 2005 and Benevento in 2017.
Lookman has recorded just one goal for Atalanta in the Italian topflight this term.
1 Comment
I saw the game.Lookman is enjoying his football again.Obviously the man of the match and his team top of the log.
Someone in this forum suggested that Nigerian players are better off plying their trade in Italy,there’s truth to that suggestion because we play in similar style,slow build up natural skill and speed in the final third.It’s different playing in leagues like the bundesliga and the English premiership that wants it’s players to run from post to post.Direct football with so much physicality,perhaps the reason we struggle to make a mark in England.
The likes of Isaac Success wallowing on the bench in English football has brought a career which was going on the ruins back to life,the same applies to Aina.Our own Okereke is thriving in Italy i would suggest the likes of Iheanacho,Troost Ekong,Awoniyi,Etebo to look for ways to take their diminishing career to serie a i’m sure they will find a home in Italy.