Ademola Lookman has been topped the African Participant of the 12 months, following a stellar yr at Atalanta wherein he bagged a hat-trick within the Europa League last towards Bayer Leverkusen.
Previous to excelling at Atalanta , although, Lookman needed to overcome some difficulties – particularly throughout a 2020/21 season-long mortgage at Fulham from RB Leipzig .
Stepping as much as take a penalty within the 98th minute of a Premier League recreation towards West Ham on the London Stadium, Lookman knew that he wanted to attain to stage the scores and earn Fulham some extent.
Ademola Lookman recollects Panenka penalty miss
Lookman’s tried Panenka towards West Ham
However, as an alternative of sticking his laces by way of the ball or inserting it excessive into one of many corners, the Nigerian worldwide determined to aim a Panenka. Lukasz Fabianski had already dived, however had sufficient time to get again to his ft and catch the tame effort.
“Sure, they weren’t very pleased with me, however, , they gave me a number of love and help after particularly the coach, Scott Parker,” Lookman instructed Flashscore
Fabianski comfortably saves
“He helped me loads to beat that point however like I stated on the stage it’s about turning your ache into energy.
“I’ve managed to try this over the previous couple of years and proceed to take action. To the children on the market aspiring to enhance and obtain in life: life could knock you down, and it could not deal you the perfect playing cards.”
However whereas Fulham had been relegated on the finish of that marketing campaign, Lookman’s miss thankfully did not have an excessive amount of of a bearing on their last standings. 9 factors adrift of Burnley in seventeenth, one level gained towards West Ham nonetheless would not have been sufficient for the Cottagers to outlive.
Lookman, in the meantime, returned to the Premier League the next season on one other mortgage, this time with Leicester Metropolis . He fared a little bit higher there, scoring six objectives within the prime flight earlier than incomes a everlasting transfer to Atalanta on the finish of the marketing campaign.
