Lookman leads Atalanta to victory at Lazio in Serie A fight for top 4

MILAN: When he’s not scoring, Ademola Lookman is setting them up.

Lookman had a hand in both goals of Atalanta’s 2-0 win over Lazio in Serie A scrap for the top four on Saturday.

Atalanta moved into third place, above AC Milan and Roma on goal difference alone. Head-to-head is the first tiebreaker at the end of the season.

Roma were held at Lecce to 1-1 earlier, while Milan beat Torino 1-0 on Friday.

Sixth-placed Lazio were two points behind the trio.

Atalanta started aggressively at the Stadio Olimpico and took a deserved lead in the 23rd minute. Lookman was trying to cut inside and Lazio midfielder Adam Marusic tried to intercept but succeeded only in laying it off to Davide Zappacosta, who curled a stunning strike into the top right corner.

Lookman almost got on the scoresheet moments earlier but his effort was fingertipped onto the crossbar by Lazio goalkeeper Ivan Provedel.

The Nigeria forward set up the other goal in the 65th, racing down the left flank and into the area before rolling across the six-yard box, where Rasmus Winther Højlund came sliding in.

Lookman had five goals in his previous four league matches.

Every point matters in Serie A in an increasingly tight battle for the Champions League qualifying spots and Roma could be left counting the cost of drawing at lowly Lecce.

Lecce was looking to push on after ending a four-match winless run last week and it took a surprise lead when a corner was taken short and whipped in from the right for Federico Baschirotto to head into the far side of the net.

It was later adjudged to have gone in off Roma defender Roger Ibañez and went down as an own goal.

Roma leveled 10 minutes later after a corner was flicked on and came off the arm of Lecce forward