CAF Player of the Year, Ademola Lookman and Nicolò Zaniolo gave Atalanta a deserved and prestigious Champions League victory away to VfB Stuttgart.
Lookman’s Atalanta were coming off five consecutive Serie A victories, including Sunday’s 3-0 away to leaders Napoli, but in Europe had one win and two 0-0 draws.
Charles De Ketelaere came on for the restart and made an immediate impact, as Lookman intercepted a loose ball in midfield to send the Belgian down the right dribbling past two, then was ready to meet the pull-back with a tap-in from five yards.
Ederson was booked for a tackle from behind and will be suspended for Atalanta’s next Champions League tie.
Fuhrich completed a rapid give and go down the left only for the pull-back to be intercepted with difficulty, then on the resulting corner Toure and Demirovic both failed to get the decisive touch in the six-yard box.
De Ketelaere’s crouching header on the Davide Zappacosta cross tested the goalkeeper at the near post, while Malanga’s strike was deflected onto the side-netting by Raoul Bellanova.
Stenzel came close with a ferocious effort from outside the area that swerved inches past the far post.
However, moments later VfB gifted the second goal to Atalanta, because Rouault shinned the attempted clearance and allowed Zaniolo to go clear for his first goal for this club.
