Serie A | Atalanta 1-0 Lecce: Lookman decisive

Ademola Lookman scored the winner on his final game before Africa Cup of Nations duty, as Atalanta just about managed to break Lecce down.

La Dea needed a boost after defeat to Bologna saw them slide down the standings, but Rafael Toloi, Jose Luis Palomino, Hans Hateboer and El Bilal Toure were still out of action. Giorgio Scalvini pulled out in the warm-up, replaced by Mario Pasalic with Marten de Roon dropping into defence. Lameck Banda and Marin Pongracic sat out bans for Lecce, with Pontus Almqvist, Nicola Sansone and Kastriot Dermaku injured.

Gianluca Scamacca couldn’t keep his header on target from a flicked-on free kick, then moments later repeated it by thumping the upright with a volley in a similar situation.

Despite the domination of possession, Lecce still threatened with Mohamed Kaba’s snapshot from distance forcing a tricky save.

Matteo Ruggeri risked an own goal to prevent the tap-in from Antonino Gallo’s roll across the box, but Federico Baschirotto had to clear practically off the line when Wladimiro Falcone got himself caught in no man’s land, allowing Teun Koopmeiners to go for goal.

Nikola Krstovic steered his header just wide from a Kaba cross, then Lecce had the ball in the net on 56 minutes with Gabriel Strefezza, but Hamza Rafia was already offside before providing the assist.

Pasalic somehow managed to clip the underside of the crossbar from the tightest of angles and moments later Atalanta got their breakthrough.

Lookman gathered on the edge of the area, a little shimmy shook off a defender and allowed him the gap to drill low into the far bottom corner.

Scamacca’s first touch let him down on the Pasalic slide-rule pass, then Falcone also kept out Lookman using his legs at the near post.

Valentin Gendrey had sent Krstovic clear only for the striker to snatch at the right-foot finish, then Atalanta-owned Roberto Piccoli gathered another Gendrey assist only to smash the angled drive inches wide.

Lecce had a huge opportunity to equalise at the 89^th minute, Remy Oudin’s first-time strike from 12 yards palmed out from under the bar by Marco Carnesecchi.

Atalanta 1-0 Lecce

Lookman 58 (A)