October 02, (THEWILL) – Atalanta earned a decisive 3-0 victory against Shakhtar Donetsk in the UEFA Champions League at the Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen. The Italian side demonstrated their quality with a dominant performance, marking their first away win in the competition in five matches.
The 26-year-old Ademola Lookman played a pivotal role in Atalanta’s success. His exceptional delivery in the 21st minute led to Berat Djimsiti opening the scoring. Lookman continued to threaten Shakhtar’s defence, hitting the crossbar before finding the net himself just before half-time, doubling Atalanta’s lead.
The second half began with Atalanta quickly extending their advantage. Raoul Bellanova, a recent acquisition from Torino, scored his debut goal for the club in the 48th minute. This swift action effectively sealed the match for Gian Piero Gasperini’s team, allowing them to control the remainder of the game comfortably.
Shakhtar Donetsk struggled to create meaningful opportunities throughout the encounter. The Ukrainian side’s goalkeeper, Dmytro Riznyk, faced constant pressure from Atalanta’s attacking force. This defeat extends Shakhtar’s winless streak against Italian opposition to nine matches, raising concerns about their prospects in the competition.
This victory represents a significant turnaround for Atalanta, who had managed only one UCL win since September 2021. The result positions them favourably in their group and demonstrates their potential to progress further in the 2024/2025 UCL campaign.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
