February 23, (THEWILL) – Atalanta moved within three points of Serie A leaders, Inter Milan, following an emphatic 5-0 victory at Empoli, with Ademola Lookman scoring twice. The result strengthens their position in the title race, which had previously appeared to be dominated by Inter and Napoli.
The visiting side opened the scoring through an Emmanuel Gyasi own goal in the 27th minute when Davide Zappacosta’s cross took a fortunate deflection. Mateo Retegui extended the advantage before Lookman added a third prior to half-time, demonstrating excellent composure to round the goalkeeper.
Lookman, who had faced criticism from manager Gian Piero Gasperini regarding his penalty-taking abilities following a UEFA Champions League miss against Club Brugge, responded emphatically with his second goal after the interval. The forward capitalised on Marten de Roon’s through ball, displaying precise footwork before finishing past Marco Silvestri.
Retegui’s contribution adds to his impressive away form this season, with his 13 goals on opposition grounds placing him second only to Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah (16) among Europe’s top five leagues. Zappacosta completed the scoring in the 74th minute, cementing Atalanta’s sixth consecutive league victory against Empoli.
The result leaves Empoli in 18th position with 21 points, facing mounting pressure in their battle to avoid relegation. For Atalanta, the triumph positions them on 54 points, trailing Napoli by two points with 12 matches remaining in the campaign.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
