Nigerian winger Ademola Lookman scored a brace to inspire Atalanta to a narrow 3-2 win over regional rivals AC Milan at the Gewiss Stadium on Saturday, Sunday PUNCH reports.
Lookman broke the deadlock in the 38th minute when he controlled a Teun Koopmeiners ball over the top, cut inside between defenders and saw the finish take a huge deflection off Tomori to loop up over a helpless Maignan.
Milan equalised deep into first half stoppages as Yunus Musah appeared to barge Lookman over and play continued earning a Rossoneri corner, which Florenzi then deposited on the head of Giroud to steer it under the bar.
Atalanta shook things up and restored their advantage when Lookman sent Charles De Ketelaere down the left, who then rolled across the face of goal for the Nigerian to fire into the roof of the net from six yards with the inside of the right boot on the 55th minute mark.
Milan equalised again in the 80th minute when Christian Pulisic got down the left and rolled across, Giroud’s dummy let it through for substitute Luka Jovic to sweep in from seven yards.
Down to 10 men, Milan were made to pay because Aleksei Miranchuk rolled across from the right for Luis Muriel, who took a touch to draw Maignan out and then surprised him with a stunning back-heel flick at the near post for 3-2. Lookman has now scored six goals in 15 league appearances this season while laying on two assists for his teammates.
For Wilfried Ndidi, Leicester City strengthened their hold on top of the Championship with a 4-0 rout of Plymouth on Saturday and the Nigerian midfielder also got on the scoresheet.
Stephy Mavididi bagged a brace with a 14th minute penalty and a 52nd minute strike either side of a Patson Daka goal.
Ndidi completed the scoring in the 55th minute, finishing in off a post from Daka’s pass to ensure the Foxes remain one point clear at the top of the table.
Meanwhile defender Ola Aina was an unused subsitute in Nottingham Forest’s 1-1 away draw to Wolves while Brentford’s Frank Onyeka made his 26th Premier League start in their shock 1-0 loss to Sheffield United.
Over in Spain, Sadiq Umar started in Real Sociedad’s game against Villareal but could not find the back of the net as his side ran out 3-0 winners at El Madrigal
Cyriel Dessers bagged his fifth goal of the season in the Scottish Premiership during Rangers’ 3-1 triumph over Dundee FC at the Ibrox Stadium.
In the 20th minute, Todd Cantwell put the Super Eagles’ forward through on goal, he had his first effort blocked by the goalkeeper but was in the right place to score with a powerful strike that was deflected into the net.
Today’s goal took his goal contributions for Rangers to 10 having registered seven goals and three assists in 24 appearances.
In Belgium, Chidera Ejuke helped Royal Antwerp to a 3-1 win over Cercle Brugge in a Jupiler Pro League encounter at the Jan Breydel Stadium.
The 25-year-old grabbed Antwerp’s second of the game three minutes before the hour mark to give the Belgian defending champions a two-goal cushion over their opponent.
After failing to get on the scoresheet in his first eight games for the Belgian side, Ejuke has scored three goals in his last five appearances across all competitions.
