(The football result Bayer Leverkusen vs Atalanta) Atalanta defeated Leverkusen demonstrates excellent resilience, ending their opponent’s unbeaten streak of 51 matches and securing the Europa League 2023/24 title.
Bayer Leverkusen entered the Europa League final with an unbeaten streak of 51 matches. Alonso’s team was considered superior; however, reality did not align with expectations.
The match began with an open game, as usual Bayer controlled the ball better and actively sought scoring opportunities. However, just when the German team was struggling to find what they needed, they were hit with a cold shower.
In the 12th minute, capitalizing on Zappacosta’s annoyingly precise cross, Lookman appeared almost out of nowhere to slot home from close range, breaking the deadlock for the match.
Continuing the momentum, in the 26th minute, Lookman displayed a skillful dribble past Xhaka before unleashing a powerful curling shot from 10 yards out that beat goalkeeper Kovar, doubling the lead for the home team.
Trailing by two goals, Leverkusen seemed to lose their spirit. Despite their efforts to attack, the reigning Bundesliga champions couldn’t find the back of the net before halftime.
Entering the second half, Alonso made early changes by bringing on forward Boniface. However, the deadlock remained unchanged as Atalanta actively retreated, forming a defensive counter-attacking strategy.
See more: Alonso sets an example for Leverkusen players ahead of the Europa League final
In the 75th minute, Leverkusen was once again punished, with Lookman, the familiar name, scoring with a shot across the goal that couldn’t be stopped. The Nigerian forward etched his name into history as the first player ever to score a hat-trick in a Europa League final.
The 3-0 victory was maintained until the final whistle, as Gasperini’s team officially clinched the Europa League title for the 2023/24 season.