DUBLIN, IRELAND – Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman made history on Wednesday by scoring a hat-trick to lead Atalanta to a 3-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen, securing the Europa League trophy in Dublin. This triumph marks Atalanta’s first continental trophy in 49 years.
Lookman’s hat-trick not only propelled his team to victory but also made him the first player to score a hat-trick in a Europa League final. His performance was pivotal in ending Leverkusen’s impressive 51-game unbeaten run across all competitions this season.
The match kicked off with Leverkusen taking an early lead. However, Atalanta quickly responded. In the 12th minute, Davide Zappacosta delivered a precise pass to Lookman, who calmly slotted the ball into the left side of the goal to equalize.
Just eight minutes later, Charles De Ketelaere attempted to give Leverkusen the lead again with a shot from the edge of the box, but Atalanta’s goalkeeper Matej Kovar made a brilliant save to keep the score level.
Lookman continued to shine throughout the match. He sealed his hat-trick and the victory for Atalanta in the 75th minute with a spectacular solo run, culminating in a powerful strike under the crossbar, leaving Kovar with no chance.
The final whistle confirmed Atalanta’s dominant performance and Lookman’s remarkable achievement, as he etched his name into the history books of European football.