Lookman fires Atalanta past AC Milan and top of Serie A / Photo: THOMAS KIENZLE - AFP
Lookman fires Atalanta past AC Milan and top of Serie A
Ademola Lookman fired Atalanta top of Serie A with the late, decisive goal in Friday's 2-1 win over AC Milan which moved them two points ahead of Napoli.
Nigeria forward Lookman continued his superb form by nodding in his 10th goal of the campaign with three minutes remaining at the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo.
The 27-year-old met Sead Kolasinac's flick-on from a corner to give Atalanta a club-record equalling ninth straight win in Italy's top flight and further boost hopes of a first-ever Scudetto for the traditionally small, provincial club.
Alvaro Morata had looked to have earned seventh-placed Milan a point in a fiery atmosphere with his 22nd-minute leveller after former Rossoneri flop Charles De Ketelaere had crashed Atalanta ahead in the 12th minute with a thumping header.
Napoli host Lazio on Sunday night and Antonio Conte's team will have to beat the team who knocked them out of the Italian Cup if they are to reclaim their narrow league lead.
Atalanta now turn their attentions to Tuesday's visit of Real Madrid in the Champions League when they can strengthen their case for direct qualification for the last 16 and get revenge for defeat in the European Super Cup in August.
Few would be surprised with an Atalanta win over Madrid, who will have Vinicius Junior back from injury, just as no-one would be shocked if they were to be crowned Italian champions come May.
- Inter in the hunt -
Brilliantly taken goals either side of half-time from Italian internationals Federico Dimarco and Nicolo Barella and Marcus Thuram's neat volley in the 67th minute were enough for Inter to beat Parma 3-1.
The reigning champions are four points behind Atalanta but have a game in hand after having to abandon last weekend's fixture at Fiorentina due to Edoardo Bove's harrowing collapse.
Inter are unbeaten in 14 matches in all competitions and travel to Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday knowing that a win would almost certainly ensure a Champions League last-16 with two matches remaining.
"We scored some great goals today... The only disappointing thing is that we conceded. We didn't deserve to given how we played over the 94 minutes," said Inzaghi to DAZN.
Parma, who netted through a late Matteo Darmian own goal, sit 12th in Serie A, but Inzaghi still picked his best available XI even with a big European fixture around the corner, selecting captain and star striker Lautaro Martinez for his 300th Inter appearance.
Martinez has struggled in front of goal this season and as well as having a first-half strike rightly ruled out for offside the Argentina forward also wasted three good opportunities to score.
The 27-year-old had his head in his hands when he poked wide a great chance one-on-one with Parma goalkeeper Zion Suzuki, six minutes after Thuram lashed home his 10th league goal of the season.
France attacker Thuram was born in Parma where his father Lilian played for five seasons, winning the UEFA Cup and Italian Cup in 1999 as part of a star-studded outfit which also featured Italian icons Gianluigi Buffon and Fabio Cannavaro.
T.Cortez--RTC
