Lookman scores twice as Atalanta stuns Serie A leader Napoli 3-0

 Despite — or perhaps because of — absence of league’s top goalscorer from starting lineup, Atalanta stunned Serie A leer Napoli by winning 3-0 at Stio Diego Armando Marona on Sunday.

Mateo Retegui was surprisingly benched but emola Lookman netted twice in first half to inflict what was only Napoli’s second defeat of season, and first since opening day .

Retegui was brought on with 14 minutes remaining and scored in stopp time for his 11th goal in as many matches.

Atalanta soared into second spot although it could be leapfrogged by Inter Milan if defending champion beats Venezia later to cut gap to Napoli to one point.

Napoli visits Inter next weekend.

Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini surprisingly opted to drop Retegui. That was reportedly because he wanted a more unpredictable attack against a Napoli defence that h kept clean sheets in six of its past seven matches and only conceded five goals all season.

Gasperini inste picked Lookman and Charles De Ketelaere in attack with Mario Pasalic behind m and that paid off almost immediately as Atalanta took le in 10th minute.

A cross was cleared by Napoli but only as far as edge of area where it was put back in and De Ketelaere dded it back for Lookman to slot into near bottom corner.

Napoli almost levelled immediately but Scott McTominay’s powerful effort crashed off right post.

Atalanta forwards combined again in 31st as De Ketelaere raced down right and squirmed between two players before passing across to Lookman, who slotted a hard shot into far bottom corner.

Se Kolasinac thought he h extended Atalanta’s le early in second half but defender was offside.

Retegui was brought on for De Ketelaere late on and he volleyed a cross into bottom right corner.

Fiorentina can move into third spot with a win at Tori later. Roma was playing at Hellas Verona.