Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman was once again the star of the show as Atlético Madrid secured a 1-0 win over Girona in their penultimate league match of the season on Sunday, Soccernet.ng reports.
The former Atalanta forward scored the only goal of the game, helping Atlético keep pace with Villarreal, whom they face on the final day of the season, in the battle to finish third behind Barcelona and Real Madrid in the La Liga standings.
It also marked the first time Atlético had won two matches across all competitions since March, moving them level on points with Villarreal, who were beaten 2-0 by Rayo Vallecano at the same time.
Atlético Madrid vs Girona: How the match was played out
Atlético Madrid went into the match on the back of a 2-1 win over Osasuna, which helped them return to winning form after a poor run of results. They were aiming for another victory to strengthen their push for third place heading into the final weekend of the season.
Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman featured in a more advanced role again in the absence of Julián Álvarez, partnering alongside Antoine Griezmann, who was playing his final home game for the club as he prepares to leave the club for Major League Soccer side Orlando City at the end of the season.
The visitors started brightly, registering two efforts off target, before Griezmann was denied by Paulo Gazzaniga in the Girona goal. From the resulting corner, David Hancko came close with a header that struck the crossbar, keeping the score level.
The breakthrough arrived in the 21st minute when Griezmann delivered a low cross into the box and Lookman reacted quickest to slot the ball into the net, giving Atlético a 1-0 lead.
The former Atalanta forward thought he had scored again in the 33rd minute, but his effort was correctly ruled out for offside, as Atlético went into halftime leading 1-0.
Girona pushed for an equaliser in the second half, while Atlético also had chances to extend their lead, but no further goals were scored as the match ended 1-0 in favour of the home side.
Super Eagles player ratings: Lookman on target for Atlético
Ademola Lookman made his 11th La Liga appearance since joining Atlético Madrid in the winter transfer window and delivered the decisive moment of the match, scoring the winning goal to secure a second consecutive victory for the team.
The Super Eagles forward also scored in back-to-back league games for the first time in his Atlético Madrid career and is finishing the season strongly, taking his overall tally to nine goals in all competitions, including four in the league.
Lookman spent 63 minutes on the pitch before being substituted for Clement Lenglet, as Diego Simeone opted to strengthen the defence and close out the game.
The 28-year-old completed 89% of his passes and created two chances, while registering two shots, one of which resulted in his goal. He also recorded seven touches inside the opposition box and finished with a 7.2 rating according to Sofascore.
He will now look to end the season on a high with another strong performance in Atlético Madrid’s final league game against Villarreal next Sunday.
