Atalanta crush Empoli as Lookman bags brace

Atalanta swept Empoli aside 5-0 with Mateo Retegui and an Ademola Lookman brace among the goals, the Nigeria international responding to the midweek controversy.

Gasperini side were still smarting from not only the Champions League play-off defeat to Club Brugge, but also the fallout from Lookman’s missed penalty.

Nonetheless, Lookman returned to the starting XI for the first time since his injury in late January, as Isak Hien, Daniel Maldini, Odilon Kossounou, Giorgio Scalvini and Gianluca Scamacca missed out. 

Atalanta threatened after 90 seconds, as Lookman’s roll across for Mateo Retegui was cut out by Giuseppe Pezzella, then Mattia De Sciglio crashed into Raoul Bellanova only after he had taken the shot.

Marco Silvestri also flew to palm the Davide Zappacosta curler round the far post, and then the goalkeeper made a desperate save on the Berat Djimsiti header in the resulting corner.

Marco Carnesecchi had his gloves stung by Christian Kouame at the near stick, but Atalanta took the lead with a bit of luck, as Zappacosta’s cross took a big deflection off Emmanuel Gyasi’s chest to loop over Silvestri into the far top corner. and the vicious Gian Piero Gasperini criticism of his insistence on taking it. 

Mario Pasalic drilled inches wide moments later on the Lookman assist, then Silvestri made a sensational fingertip save to push Stefan Posch’s header round the post.

Atalanta doubled their lead on the next corner, as it was taken short, and Lookman’s cross flicked on by Djimsiti for Retegui to side-foot home relatively undisturbed at the back post. It was the Italy international’s 21st Serie A goal of the season.

Retegui also provided an assist before halftime, his through ball nutmegging a defender for Lookman, who rolled it under the sole of his boot to get away from Silvestri and walk it into the empty net from point-blank range. It was a magnificent bit of skill.

Liberato Cacace could’ve got one back for Empoli moments later, only to scuff the finish inches wide from a corner kick routine.

Liam Henderson had two promising curlers wide of the upright, but Atalanta added a fourth with Lookman springing the offside trap on the Marten de Roon pass, shimmying away from Cacace with a step-over and angled drive with his weaker left foot.

Empoli threatened too, Sead Kolasinac making the decisive clearance on Lorenzo Colombo’s header from a Pezzella cross.

Zappacosta forced the earlier own goal but got his name on the scoresheet when drilling low into the near bottom corner after cutting inside Junior Sambia on the edge of the area.

When Lookman was substituted, the Italian media pointed out that he shook hands with his teammates and assistant manager Tullio Gritti but not coach Gasperini.

This result puts Atalanta within two points of second-placed Napoli and still in the Scudetto race.