*Scored, provided an assist as Atalanta cruised to 3-0 win in Germany
Duro Ikhazuagbe
Ademola Lookman scored and provided an assist as Atalanta stunned Eintracht Frankfurt 3-0 on Wednesday night in Germany.
The Super Eagles forward who was rated the lowest of the 22 players in the barren first half of the UEFA Champions League match-day five clash, returned from the break, a different player. It was his night of crowning glory in Germany.
Atalanta began the second half with zest, but Frankfurt’s goalkeeper Michael Zetterer was alert enough to sprint from his goal line to stop Lookman from wheeling away in celebration in the opening minutes.
Nevertheless, there was nothing that Zetterer could do to prevent the Bergamo outfit from stunning Deutsche Bank Park into silence in a devastating two-minute spell beginning on the strike of the hour mark.
First, a criminally unmarked Lookman volleyed home Charles De Ketelaere’s dinked delivery from inside the area, before the Super Eagles forward turned provider with a defence-splitting pass, which allowed Ederson to slot the ball underneath the onrushing figure of the Bundesliga side.
If the silence was deafening after Atalanta’s second, it was something else entirely just a further three minutes later, as De Ketelaere hammered home on the rebound after Scamacca’s effort had struck the underside of the bar.
Zetterer saved Frankfurt from any further embarrassment in the 69th minute, as he expertly kept out Berat Djimsiti’s header to end a nightmare 10-minute spell on something of a high. But in truth, Atalanta’s work was more than complete, and they ultimately cruised to a well-deserved victory.
Despite the night’s goal glut, Raffaele Palladino’s potent-looking Atalanta side remain outside of the eight automatic qualification positions for the Round of 16 on goal difference, and will need to be as clinical as they were in Germany in order to remedy that on matchday six, when hosting world champions Chelsea.
Elsewhere,
Noni Madueke scored his first goal for Arsenal as the Gunners defeated Bayern Munich 3-1 to maintain their 100% record in the Champions League.
Arsenal were dominant from the beginning of the game and took the lead in the 22nd minute when Jurrien Timber headed in Bukayo Saka’s corner – the 10th goal that Arsenal have scored from a corner this season, the most of any side in Europe’s top five leagues.
Bayern grew into the match after going behind and equalised 10 minutes later when Joshua Kimmich hit a crossfield pass to Serge Gnabry and the former Arsenal forward played the ball across the area for 17-year-old Lennart Karl to score from close range.
It was the first goal that Arsenal had conceded in the competition this season but it did not stop them making it five wins from five.
Liverpool’s woes however continued as the Reds again lost 1-4 to PSV at Anfield. Cup holders PSG however hammered Tottenham Hotspur 5-3 to stay stay second on 12 points behind leaders Arsenal who are on 15 points from five match days. Bayern, Inter Milan, Real Madrid are all on same 12 points
RESULTS
Copenhagen 3-2 K’Almaty
Pafos 2-2 Monaco
Arsenal 3-1 B’Munich
Atletico 2-1 Inter Milan
Frankfurt 0-3 Atalanta
Liverpool 1-4 PSV
Olympiacos 3-4 R’Madrid
PSG 5-3 Tottenham
Sporting 3-0 Club Brugge
TODAY
Europa League
AS Roma v Midtjylland
Aston Villa v Y’Boys
FC Porto v Nice
Fenerbache v Ferencvaros
Feyenoord v Celtic
Lille v Dy’ Zagreb
Ludogorets v Celta Vigo
PAOK v Brann
Plzen v Freiburg
Betis v Utrecht
Bologna v Salzburg
Crvena v FCSB


