ADEMOLA LOOKMAN HELPED Atalanta take temporary lead of Serie A with the decisive goal in Saturday’s 2-1 win over Sassuolo, while Dusan Vlahovic fired crisis-club Juventus to a 1-0 success over Torino.
Nigeria forward Lookman continued his positive start to life in Italy seconds after half-time in Bergamo with his third goal in as many games.
His strike at the Gewiss Stadium moved Atalanta a point ahead of Napoli, who can reclaim the summit with a home win over Bologna on Sunday evening.
Lookman, 24, curled a perfectly struck left-footed shot into the top corner to net his fourth of this term and maintain an unbeaten start to the season for Gian Piero Gasperini’s side.
They claimed the three points also thanks to Mario Pasalic, who levelled in the final minute of the first half with a well-taken first goal of the season, shortly after Giorgos Kyriakopoulos had opened the scoring for Sassuolo with an unstoppable volley.
Alessio Dionisi’s Sassuolo, who sit ninth, gave a good account of themselves and were unlucky to not equalise just after the hour mark.
Substitute Domenico Berardi almost marked his first appearance since late August with a stunning goal in the 63rd minute when he let rip with a powerful inswinging effort which smashed out off the underside of the bar.
However the Italy forward succumbed to a thigh injury again with 11 minutes remaining, leaving the field with his shirt covering his face after completing less than a quarter of the match, and the hosts had no problems seeing out their seventh win of the campaign.
Juve went into Saturday’s Turin derby reeling from Champions League humiliation at the hands of Maccabi Haifa, but Vlahovic gave his boss Massimiliano Allegri some breathing room despite another poor team display against a Torino side who had no available strikers.
Serbia forward Vlahovic pushed in the winner with 15 minutes remaining to give Juve their first away win this season and allow his teammates to leave in better spirits a training camp imposed by the club following an awful start to the season.
Vlahovic’s strike was his seventh of the season in all competitions for Juve who are seventh, eight points behind Atalanta.
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Torino sit 11th on 11 points after collecting just one point from their last five fixtures, in which they have scored twice.
They would have leapfrogged Juve with a win but instead are level with Empoli, who earlier ended Monza’s three-match winning run with a 1-0 win which came thanks to Nicolas Haas.
It was the first loss for Monza coach Raffaele Palladino, who had won his first three matches as Monza coach after replacing Giovanni Stroppa last month.
Monza, who were repeatedly denied by Empoli’s impressive goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, stay five points above the relegation zone in their first ever season in Serie A.
Elsewhere, Antoine Griezmann’s strike earned Atletico Madrid a 1-0 win at Athletic Bilbao to help Diego Simeone’s side leapfrog their Basque opponents and move third in La Liga.
Atletico’s goal lived a charmed life in the final stages, thanks to brilliant defending from Reinildo Mandava and some impressive saves from Ivo Grbic, who had to come on for the injured Jan Oblak.
Antoine Griezmann (file photo) Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Ernesto Valverde’s Athletic were awarded a late penalty for handball against Reinildo, but it was cancelled after the officials spotted the ball had struck the defender on the face.
Inaki Williams should have opened the scoring early on but directed a free header off target with Atletico goalkeeper Oblak exposed.
At the other end Alvaro Morata did fire Atletico ahead after rounding Unai Simon, but his joy was short-lived as VAR proved he had pushed over defender Yeray Alvarez and the goal was disallowed.
Atletico defender Jose Gimenez was booked for a swing which nearly caught Inaki Williams in a sensitive area, while the Ghana international’s brother, Nico Williams, got short shrift from Atletico’s flawless left-back Reinildo.
Valverde’s free-scoring side had netted 12 goals in their last four games, but against a more sturdy Atletico rearguard they found it hard to carve out further chances.
Regardless, Athletic fans, encouraged by their team’s strong start to the season, had San Mames rocking during half-time, which was extended while club staff tried to tie down an errant piece of goal net.
Griezmann quickly spoiled the party atmosphere when he stroked home in the 47th minute following a cut-back from Alvaro Morata, breaking the deadlock.
The 31-year-old completed a century of La Liga goals for Atletico, only the sixth player to do so in the club’s history.
The 101st might have followed — Atletico coach Simeone spread his arms in frustration when Griezmann hacked a volley into the ground when well placed to trouble Simon just after the hour mark.
Atletico were dealt an apparent blow when Oblak went off injured, appearing to hurt his shoulder after a collision with Alex Berenguer earlier in the half.
However his replacement Grbic made a fine save to deny Raul Garcia and then an even better one from another header during a scramble in the box, which ended when referee Jorge Figueroa Vazquez pointed to the penalty spot.
Reinildo was accused of a handball but the Mozambican blocked Oier Zarraga’s drive with his face and it was scrapped.
Six minutes into stoppage time it seemed Athletic were finally poised to level but Reinildo made another sublime block to deny Raul Garcia just a couple of yards out.
Earlier Nemanja Gudelj scored one of the goals of the season to earn Sevilla a 1-0 win at Mallorca, their first in seven games across all competitions.
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Lookman fires Atalanta to Serie A summit, Griezmann nets 100th LaLiga goal for Atletico
ADEMOLA LOOKMAN HELPED Atalanta take temporary lead of Serie A with the decisive goal in Saturday’s 2-1 win over Sassuolo, while Dusan Vlahovic fired crisis-club Juventus to a 1-0 success over Torino.
Nigeria forward Lookman continued his positive start to life in Italy seconds after half-time in Bergamo with his third goal in as many games.
His strike at the Gewiss Stadium moved Atalanta a point ahead of Napoli, who can reclaim the summit with a home win over Bologna on Sunday evening.
Lookman, 24, curled a perfectly struck left-footed shot into the top corner to net his fourth of this term and maintain an unbeaten start to the season for Gian Piero Gasperini’s side.
They claimed the three points also thanks to Mario Pasalic, who levelled in the final minute of the first half with a well-taken first goal of the season, shortly after Giorgos Kyriakopoulos had opened the scoring for Sassuolo with an unstoppable volley.
Alessio Dionisi’s Sassuolo, who sit ninth, gave a good account of themselves and were unlucky to not equalise just after the hour mark.
Substitute Domenico Berardi almost marked his first appearance since late August with a stunning goal in the 63rd minute when he let rip with a powerful inswinging effort which smashed out off the underside of the bar.
However the Italy forward succumbed to a thigh injury again with 11 minutes remaining, leaving the field with his shirt covering his face after completing less than a quarter of the match, and the hosts had no problems seeing out their seventh win of the campaign.
Juve went into Saturday’s Turin derby reeling from Champions League humiliation at the hands of Maccabi Haifa, but Vlahovic gave his boss Massimiliano Allegri some breathing room despite another poor team display against a Torino side who had no available strikers.
Serbia forward Vlahovic pushed in the winner with 15 minutes remaining to give Juve their first away win this season and allow his teammates to leave in better spirits a training camp imposed by the club following an awful start to the season.
Vlahovic’s strike was his seventh of the season in all competitions for Juve who are seventh, eight points behind Atalanta.
Torino sit 11th on 11 points after collecting just one point from their last five fixtures, in which they have scored twice.
They would have leapfrogged Juve with a win but instead are level with Empoli, who earlier ended Monza’s three-match winning run with a 1-0 win which came thanks to Nicolas Haas.
It was the first loss for Monza coach Raffaele Palladino, who had won his first three matches as Monza coach after replacing Giovanni Stroppa last month.
Monza, who were repeatedly denied by Empoli’s impressive goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, stay five points above the relegation zone in their first ever season in Serie A.
Elsewhere, Antoine Griezmann’s strike earned Atletico Madrid a 1-0 win at Athletic Bilbao to help Diego Simeone’s side leapfrog their Basque opponents and move third in La Liga.
Atletico’s goal lived a charmed life in the final stages, thanks to brilliant defending from Reinildo Mandava and some impressive saves from Ivo Grbic, who had to come on for the injured Jan Oblak.
Ernesto Valverde’s Athletic were awarded a late penalty for handball against Reinildo, but it was cancelled after the officials spotted the ball had struck the defender on the face.
Inaki Williams should have opened the scoring early on but directed a free header off target with Atletico goalkeeper Oblak exposed.
At the other end Alvaro Morata did fire Atletico ahead after rounding Unai Simon, but his joy was short-lived as VAR proved he had pushed over defender Yeray Alvarez and the goal was disallowed.
Atletico defender Jose Gimenez was booked for a swing which nearly caught Inaki Williams in a sensitive area, while the Ghana international’s brother, Nico Williams, got short shrift from Atletico’s flawless left-back Reinildo.
Valverde’s free-scoring side had netted 12 goals in their last four games, but against a more sturdy Atletico rearguard they found it hard to carve out further chances.
Regardless, Athletic fans, encouraged by their team’s strong start to the season, had San Mames rocking during half-time, which was extended while club staff tried to tie down an errant piece of goal net.
Griezmann quickly spoiled the party atmosphere when he stroked home in the 47th minute following a cut-back from Alvaro Morata, breaking the deadlock.
The 31-year-old completed a century of La Liga goals for Atletico, only the sixth player to do so in the club’s history.
The 101st might have followed — Atletico coach Simeone spread his arms in frustration when Griezmann hacked a volley into the ground when well placed to trouble Simon just after the hour mark.
Atletico were dealt an apparent blow when Oblak went off injured, appearing to hurt his shoulder after a collision with Alex Berenguer earlier in the half.
However his replacement Grbic made a fine save to deny Raul Garcia and then an even better one from another header during a scramble in the box, which ended when referee Jorge Figueroa Vazquez pointed to the penalty spot.
Reinildo was accused of a handball but the Mozambican blocked Oier Zarraga’s drive with his face and it was scrapped.
Six minutes into stoppage time it seemed Athletic were finally poised to level but Reinildo made another sublime block to deny Raul Garcia just a couple of yards out.
Earlier Nemanja Gudelj scored one of the goals of the season to earn Sevilla a 1-0 win at Mallorca, their first in seven games across all competitions.
– © AFP 2022
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