ADEMOLA Lookman scored twice tonight to inspire Atalanta to a 5-2 victory in their Coppa Italia clash against Spezia.
The Super Eagles forward netted his side’s first two goals in quick succession in the 10th and 12th minutes as they romped to the quarter-finals of the cup competition.
Lookman has been in prolific form in 2023, scoring four goals in three appearances in all competitions since the turn of the year.
The Nigeria international joined Atalanta in from RB Leipzig in August for €9 million and has been value for money, registering 11 goals and three assists in 18 games in Serie A and Coppa Italia.
Meanwhile in Saudi Arabia, Super Eagles striker Odion Ighalo was surprisingly an unused substitute this evening when a combined team of Al Nassr and his club Al Hilal faced Paris Saint-Germain in a friendly.
The exhibition match ended 5-4 in favour of the French champions, with Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe both scoring for them and Cristiano Ronaldo netting twice in his first match on Saudi soil since completing a sensational €200m move to Al Nassr on January 1.
Messi opened the floodgates of goals in the third minute and his rival of many years Ronaldo responded from the penalty spot 31 minutes after.
PSG’s Julian Bernat was sent off six minutes before half-time for a reckless challenge but the Ligue 1 side scored the next goal through Marquinhos in the 43rd minute.
Neymar fluffed his lines from the penalty spot in the the third minute of added time and Ronaldo ensured Al Nassr went into the break level with the equaliser just before the half-time whistle.
Sergio Ramos gave PSG the lead for the third time in the 52nd minute in a rollercoaster ride of a match but the Saudis pulled level again through Hyun-Soo Jang three minutes later.
Mbappe struck from the penalty spot on the hour mark to make it 4-3 just before Messi and Ronaldo were both withdrawn.
Hugo Ekitike gave PSG a two-goal cushion for the first time in the 78th minute before Anderson Talisca reduced the deficit for the Saudis in stoppage time.
Remarkably, despite seven changes in the Saudi team, including the two strikers, Ighalo was not introduced into the match.
Ighalo is currently the second highest goal scorer in the Saudi Pro League with nine goals, two behind Talisca.
