Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman<\/a> played a key role as Atletico Madrid secured their spot in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday, Soccernet.ng reports.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Despite a 3-2 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in London, Atletico progressed 7-5 on aggregate after their 5-2 first-leg victory in Madrid.<\/p>\n Lookman started in manager Diego Simeone’s 4-4-2 system, operating on the left of midfield alongside Marcos Llorente, Johnny Cardoso, and Giuliano Simeone.<\/p>\n Tottenham, needing at least three goals to force extra time, pressed from the first whistle. Lookman spent much of the game tracking back, but still made an impact with a well-timed assist.<\/p>\n Tottenham, coming off a 1-1 draw at Liverpool, began strongly. Atletico nearly struck first in the 6th minute when a counter-attack ended with Lookman finding the net, only for VAR to rule it out for offside.<\/p>\n Spurs controlled most of the first half, with Randal Kolo Muani heading home from a Mathys Tel cross in the 30th minute. Guglielmo Vicario also made a crucial save to deny Giuliano Simeone.<\/p>\n The game shifted after the break. Two minutes into the second half, Lookman set up Julian \u00c1lvarez for a stunning equaliser. Tottenham responded in the 52nd minute when Archie Gray fed Xavi Simons, who curled a 25-yard strike into the bottom corner.<\/p>\n The match grew physical, with yellow cards shown to Lookman, Porro, Vicario, Romero, and Udogie. David Hancko restored parity for Atletico in the 75th minute with a header, effectively ending Spurs\u2019 hopes.<\/p>\n Deep into stoppage time, Simons converted a penalty after a foul by Jose Maria Gimenez, giving Tottenham a 3-2 win on the night\u2014but Atletico advanced.<\/p>\n This was not the most glamorous night for Lookman, but it was effective. Simeone asked him to operate in a deeper role than usual, and the Nigerian international spent large stretches of the first half tracking back against Pedro Porro and Djed Spence.<\/p>\n Radu Dr\u0103gu\u0219in did a decent job containing Lookman early on, and Cristian Romero made at least one block that prevented the Atletico winger from tapping into an empty net at the back post.<\/p>\n The former Atalanta forward caused problems whenever he advanced. His early goal\u2014caught off for offside in the 6th minute\u2014showed the kind of threat he carries on the counter.<\/p>\n He then missed a close-range opportunity around the 32nd minute that could have levelled the game before half-time.<\/p>\n The defining contribution came right after the break. Lookman set up Alvarez for the equalizer with a precise pass from outside the box, and the finish from the Argentine was world-class.<\/p>\n According to his match stats on SofaScore, Lookman finished his shift with one assist, 88% pass accuracy, 37 touches, and three defensive contributions. He lost the ball just six times and won three fouls for his team.<\/p>\n The quarter-finals are looking tasty #UCL<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/ACLRR7wccv<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) March 18, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Overall, Lookman did exactly what Simeone needed from him, and Atletico are in the last eight owing to his contributions.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n![\"Soccer](\"https:\/\/media.soccernet.ng\/main\/2026\/03\/imago1074509154.jpg\")
Soccer Tottenham 3-2 Atletico Madrid: Full match report<\/h2>\n
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Soccer How Ademola Lookman Performed Against Tottenham: Stats and Analysis<\/h2>\n
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