Kamaldeen Sulemana: Ghana Winger Scores Debut Serie A Goal in Atalanta's Victory
- Kamaldeen Sulemana marked a memorable afternoon on Sunday by scoring his debut Serie A goal
- The Ghana international sealed a move to Atalanta earlier in July, with the transfer potentially reaching £18 million
- The 23-year-old admires the former Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldinho, often drawing inspiration from his style of play
Ghanaian winger Kamaldeen Sulemana lit up Sunday’s Serie A clash with a brilliant display, scoring his first goal for Atalanta and adding an assist in their commanding 3-0 win over Torino at the Stadio Olimpico.
The 23-year-old’s man-of-the-match performance proved decisive as the Bergamo side secured another crucial victory in the Italian top flight.
Source: Getty Images
Atalanta broke the deadlock in the 30th minute as Montenegrin forward Nikola Krstovic coolly converted a clever pass from Serbian playmaker Lazar Samardzic.
Moments later, Sulemana demonstrated his poacher’s instinct, pouncing on a loose ball in the box to smash home his first Serie A goal and double the visitors’ lead.
Watch Kamaldeen's goal below:
Before halftime, the Ghanaian turned provider, delivering a precise assist for Krstovic to notch his second of the night and put the result beyond doubt.
The Black Stars winger was a menace all afternoon, unleashing his pace, flair, and direct play to keep Torino’s defence under constant pressure.
In 87 minutes of action, Kamaldeen Sulemana registered 45 touches, 27 accurate passes, 2 chances created, 2 shots on target, 1 big chance created, 1 assist, and crowned his display with a composed finish, per 3Sports.
His stellar performance not only strengthens Atalanta’s Serie A push but also provides timely encouragement for Ghana, with Otto Addo keeping a close watch ahead of next month’s international games.
Ex-Black Stars forward hails Kamaldeen
Former Ghana Black Stars striker Prince Tagoe has praised Kamaldeen Sulemana’s standout performance for Atalanta against Torino, highlighting the winger’s work rate and commitment on both ends of the pitch.
“Kamaldeen was exceptional today,” Tagoe told YEN.com.gh. “His hard work, constant pressing, speed, and willingness to track back and help defensively were truly commendable. You could see his desire to make an impact all over the pitch.”
Tagoe also offered advice for further improvement:
“If he can work on his end product and become more clinical in front of goal, he will take his game to another level. His talent is obvious, but efficiency will make him a complete player.”
Source: Getty Images
Kamaldeen sealed a move to Atalanta earlier in July from Southampton, with the transfer potentially reaching £18 million, per The BBC.
The speedster shared that Brazilian legend Ronaldinho played a key role in shaping his jersey number decision.
Though the 23-year-old would have preferred to wear the iconic number 10 jersey, a number famously associated with his childhood hero, he had to settle for an alternative.
“No.10 is my favourite, like Ronaldinho, my idol, but since [Lazar] Samardzic already took it, I went with 7, Ronaldinho wore it with Brazil, which made the choice easy,” Kamaldeen shared.
Atalanta chief reveals reason for Kamaldeen purchase
Atalanta CEO Luca Percassi spoke glowingly about the club’s acquisition of Kamaldeen during the presentation, underlining the qualities that made the winger an ideal fit.
"He's of a young age, yet he has gained valuable experience across Europe. It was an added reason for our decision, along with the fact that he already worked with Coach Juric last season.
"He has qualities that suit our team well. He’s a sharp guy and has immediately shown great eagerness to learn Italian. He’ll fit in perfectly in our environment," Percassi noted, as quoted by Ghanasoccernet.
Sulemana honoured as Community Champion
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Kamaldeen Sulemana was honoured with the PFA Community Champion award at Southampton.
The 23-year-old earned recognition for his impactful humanitarian efforts during the 2024/25 season with the club.
Source: YEN.com.gh
