Atalanta winger Ademola Lookman was unstoppable, ending Bayer Leverkusen’s dream of an unbeaten season with a hat trick of titles. Lookman was the hat trick hero in Atalanta’s 3-0 win over Leverkusen in the Europa League final on Wednesday.
Few predicted such a decisive defeat for the new German champions, whose European record unbeaten run of 51 games was shattered by an Atalanta team that had also triumphed 3-0 in Liverpool in the quarterfinals.
The London-born Nigeria international, Lookman, was ruthless, capitalizing on significant errors by Leverkusen players to score twice in the first 26 minutes of the match. He completed his hat trick with a powerful shot in the 75th minute, leaving the favorites looking unsettled throughout.
In a typical season or European final, Atalanta and their experienced coach Gian Piero Gasperini would be celebrated as a feel-good story. What’s not to love for neutral fans in the big-money Super League era? A well-managed club from a small provincial city playing attractive soccer on a modest budget, guided by a loyal coach, lifting their first top-level trophy in 61 years.
Instead, Atalanta played the spoiler, halting Leverkusen’s bid for European soccer immortality.
Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso must now rally his players for the German Cup final on Saturday, where they will be heavy favorites against second-tier Kaiserslautern at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin.
As the minutes ticked down in Dublin, Alonso watched his team falter, standing alone in front of the dugout. He alternated between burying his hands in the pockets of his slim-fit black jeans and folding his arms.
A few meters away, a sprightly 66-year-old Gasperini, his black jacket zipped high against the evening chill, danced with his players and staff in anticipation of the final whistle.
Alonso’s significant selection decision was choosing Exequiel Palacios over Robert Andrich in midfield. However, the 2022 World Cup winner with Argentina was at fault for the opening goal. Palacios, defending the far post, was unaware of Lookman behind him when Davide Zappacosta’s cross eluded everyone. Lookman darted in on Palacios’ blind side to score with a rising shot.
The second goal came in the 26th minute when Leverkusen once again lost possession in their own half. Amine Adli’s careless header back towards his defense fell to Lookman. The former Everton player evaded Granit Xhaka’s tackle and curled a right-footed shot into the corner of the net, beyond goalkeeper Matěj Kovář.
It was the fourth time Leverkusen had trailed 2-0 in a Europa League knockout round game since March, but their unbeaten run had never seemed more threatened. The season-long flurry of late and stoppage-time goals deserted Leverkusen this time.
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