{"id":126413,"date":"2025-09-07T22:14:14","date_gmt":"2025-09-07T22:14:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/126413\/"},"modified":"2025-09-07T22:14:14","modified_gmt":"2025-09-07T22:14:14","slug":"positive-lookman-impact-with-nigeria-in-first-match-in-over-3-months","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/126413\/","title":{"rendered":"Positive Lookman impact with Nigeria in first match in over 3 months"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"Ademola<\/p>\n

Ademola Lookman of Serie A side Atalanta celebrates scoring twice for Nigeria in 3-0 win over Benin.<\/p>\n

<\/a> <\/p>\n

Ademola Lookman starred in his first match in well over three months as Nigeria picked up a 1-0 victory over Rwanda in World Cup qualifying on Saturday evening.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Lookman had not played for club nor country since Atalanta\u2019s 3-2 loss against Parma on the final day of the 2024-25 season on May 25 prior to his outing with Nigeria this weekend.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The 27-year-old has not featured in either of Atalanta\u2019s first two Serie A matches of the season after a chaotic summer that did not bring the move away from Bergamo that Lookman had expected.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"BERGAMO,BERGAMO, ITALY \u2013 APRIL 06: Warm ups prior to the Serie A match between Atalanta and SS Lazio at Gewiss Stadium on April 06, 2025 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

The former Everton, Leicester and Fulham forward had been pushing for a move to Inter this summer. The Nerazzurri had a \u20ac45m bid turned down by Atalanta<\/a>, which led to the player handing in a formal transfer request<\/a>, while accusing the club of poor treatment and breaking promises.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Despite there being an agreement in place with Atalanta that would have allowed Lookman to leave for a club outside Serie A this summer, a move away never materialised. He remains an Atalanta player, despite returning to the UK to train on his own for several weeks this summer.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Lookman impresses in Nigeria 1-0 Rwanda<\/p>\n

Despite the fact that he has not played in any match since in three-and-a-half months, not even in any pre-season friendlies, Lookman was trusted as a starter for the Nigeria national team on Saturday evening as they secured a 1-0 win over Rwanda.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Victor<\/p>\n

Lookman played in a no.10 role behind former Napoli centre-forward Victor Osimhen. The two combined for what briefly looked like the opening goal of the game, only for Osimhen to be flagged for offside a few moments later. He was then withdrawn with an injury 10 minutes before half time.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Lookman remained on the pitch, though, and though he was not involved in Tolu Arokodare\u2019s goal, he did have a positive impact on the team\u2019s overall performance according to Sunday\u2019s post-match reports<\/a>. <\/p>\n


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