Ademola Lookman, the Nigerian international forward, made an instant impact at Atletico Madrid, opening his goalscoring account on debut as the Spanish side cruised to a commanding 5-0 victory over Real Betis in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals on Thursday, Okay News reports.
The 28-year-old winger, who completed a €35 million transfer from Atalanta earlier this week, wasted no time announcing himself to the Atletico faithful.
Handed a starting role by head coach Diego Simeone, Lookman scored in the 37th minute and also registered an assist in a dominant performance at the Metropolitano Stadium.
Lookman’s goal, which proved to be Atletico’s third of the night, came at the end of a swift counter-attack.
Receiving a precise cross-field pass inside the penalty area, he calmly evaded two defenders with close control before firing a low shot past the goalkeeper at the near post, effectively putting the contest beyond Betis before halftime.
Beyond the goal, the Nigeria international contributed creatively, setting up one of Atletico’s five goals as the capital club overwhelmed their visitors in a one-sided encounter.
The strike carried added significance, marking the 100th goal of Lookman’s professional career on the night he made his first appearance for his seventh club.
It also continued a personal trend, with the forward scoring on his debut for a third consecutive team, having previously done so for RB Salzburg and Atalanta.
Atletico Madrid’s emphatic win sends them into the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey, a competition the club has not lifted in over a decade.
Simeone’s side will discover their next opponents when the semi-final draw is conducted on Friday.
