Spoiler alert.
Atalanta winger Ademola Lookman was unstoppable and Bayer Leverkusen’s unimaginable dream of finishing a complete season unbeaten with a hat trick of titles proved to be simply that.
As an alternative, Lookman was the hat trick hero in Atalanta’s 3-0 win over Leverkusen within the Europa League closing on Wednesday.
It was a beating few noticed coming for the brand new German champion whose European document unbeaten run was stopped at 51 video games by a crew that had gained 3-0 in Liverpool within the quarterfinals.
Lookman, the London-born Nigeria worldwide, was ruthless punishing huge errors by Leverkusen gamers to attain twice within the first 26 minutes of a recreation the place the favorites by no means checked out ease. He capped his solo present with an arrowing shot within the seventy fifth.
In any regular season, or a typical European closing, Atalanta and its veteran coach Gian Piero Gasperini can be a feel-good soccer story.
What’s to not love for impartial followers within the big-money Tremendous League period? A well-run membership from a small provincial metropolis taking part in engaging soccer on a modest finances for a loyal coach to raise its first top-level trophy for 61 years.
As an alternative, it fell to Atalanta to play the dangerous man and cease Leverkusen’s shot at European soccer immortality.
Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso should now raise his gamers for the German Cup closing on Saturday. They’ll begin as heavy favourite to beat second-tier Kaiserslautern within the Olympic Stadium, Berlin.
Because the minutes ticked down in Dublin, Alonso lastly watched his crew lose standing nonetheless and alone in entrance of the crew dugout. He alternated between pushing his arms deep within the pockets of his slim-fit black denims, then folding his arms.
A number of meters away, a sprightly 66-year-old Gasperini — his black jacket zipped excessive in opposition to the night chill — was dancing along with his gamers and employees in anticipation of the ultimate whistle.
Alonso’s wide range name Wednesday was to favor Exequiel Palacios in midfield, over Robert Andrich, however the 2022 World Cup winner with Argentina was at fault for the opening aim.
Palacios, defending the far put up, was totally unaware of Lookman behind him when a ball throughout the goalmouth from Davide Zappacosta eluded everybody. Lookman darted in on Palacios’ blind facet to attain with a rising shot.
It was 2-0 within the twenty sixth when Leverkusen but once more gave away the ball within the coronary heart of its personal half. Amine Adli’s aimless header again towards his personal protection bounced to Lookman.
The previous Everton participant eluded Granit Xhaka’s deal with and curled his right-footed shot into the nook of the web past goalkeeper Matěj Kovář diving to his left.
It was the fourth time Leverkusen had trailed 2-0 in a Europa League knockout spherical recreation since March however its unbeaten run had by no means appeared extra in danger. The season-long flurry of late and stoppage-time targets eluded Leverkusen this time.
Even earlier than the Atalanta targets, followers from Bergamo — outnumbered about 12,000 to 9,000 by Leverkusen’s within the 48,000 crowd — principally outsang their German counterparts on an overcast and breezy night within the Irish capital.
The gamers responded with bodily dedication from the opening minutes, harassing Leverkusen out of its usually elegant model with tight marking.
Leverkusen repeatedly gifted Atalanta the ball in its personal half and created little. When scoring possibilities did come, Álex Grimaldo lobbed the ball weakly into the arms of goalkeeper Juan Musso who had superior off his line, and Jeremie Frimpong’s volleyed shot went excessive over the aim.
USMNT soccer legend Tim Howard as he delves into the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic soccer competitors whereas addressing the challenges confronted by U.S. Soccer on the Olympic stage.