Mateo Retegui added a goal in the second minute of stoppage time, securing the win for the Bergamo side.
Despite Napoli coach Antonio Conte's careful strategy, his attempts to neutralize Lookman proved ineffective. Conte had previously acknowledged Lookman's potential threat, stating, “This is a big danger because Atalanta are a strong team; they won the Europa League by ending Bayer Leverkusen’s season-long unbeaten record.”
Conte also commented on Atalanta's tactical superiority and Lookman's capacity to challenge defenders, drawing parallels to Arsenal's strategy against him in the Champions League. He remarked, “Against Atalanta, Arsenal put Thomas Partey on Ademola Lookman… It’s not just about defenders, but the whole team working together to defend.”
Lookman's outstanding first-half display highlighted his excellent form, as he has already scored six goals in seven appearances this season and is among the league leaders in assists.
The thrilling Serie A encounter between Napoli and Atalanta at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium saw Lookman find the net in both the 10th and 31st minutes, effectively quieting the home crowd.
Napoli has triumphed in four of their last five matches, while Atalanta has managed to secure only one victory in their head-to-head history, which notably includes a 0-3 defeat at this very venue.
On Monday, the 27-year-old forward reached a notable achievement by placing 14th in the 2024 Ballon d’Or rankings.
During the summer transfer window, Lookman attracted interest from clubs such as Arsenal and Liverpool, with PSG and West Ham also monitoring his progress closely.
Additionally, Lookman was named among the ten finalists for the Confederation of African Football's 2024 Men’s Player of the Year award, which was announced last Thursday.
He and William Troost-Ekong were highlighted as prominent nominees, while in-form striker Victor Boniface and the reigning champion Victor Osimhen were notably missing from the list.
Lookman will be eager to claim the award, especially after his remarkable performance in the 2023/24 Europa League final, where he scored a hat trick against Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen, leading Atalanta to their first major title since 1963.