Super Eagles striker Tolu Arokodare continued his explosive start to life at AFC Ajax, scoring twice as the Dutch giants defeated FC Sion 5-3 at the Johan Cruijff Arena to secure their place in the UEFA Conference League phase.
Just days after scoring and providing an assist in the first leg in Switzerland, Arokodare once again proved decisive, this time delivering a brace on his first competitive start for the Amsterdam giants.
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The 25-year-old was substituted after 60 minutes, but not before he had made the most of his opportunity and helped Ajax complete a 9-5 aggregate victory.
Arokodare turns tie around with first-half strike
Ajax made the perfect start when Youri Baas put the hosts ahead after just one minute, but Sion quickly turned the game on its head.
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Winsley Boteli scored twice to give the Swiss side a 2-1 advantage after 36 minutes before Davy Klaassen restored parity three minutes later. And with the tie finely poised, Arokodare stepped up at the perfect moment.
The Nigerian international put Ajax back in front in the 45th minute, getting on the end of Abdellah Ouazane’s cross before firing a powerful finish into the roof of the net to make it 3-2 at half-time.
And he was not finished, as just six minutes into the second half, Arokodare doubled his tally after Ouazane again played a key role in the build-up.
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The midfielder found the Nigerian striker, who produced a brilliant finish into the top corner to extend Ajax’s lead to 4-2.
Oliver Edvardsen then added Ajax’s fifth in the 55th minute, while Boteli completed his hat-trick for Sion in stoppage time.
The visitors, however, could not find another way back as Ajax held on for a 5-3 victory and a convincing 9-5 aggregate triumph.
Arokodare making Ajax impossible to overlook
Arokodare’s latest display further underlined how quickly he has adapted since arriving in Amsterdam on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The Nigerian has now scored four goals and provided two assists in five appearances for Ajax.
His European debut in the first leg against Sion offered an early glimpse of his impact.
Introduced in the 72nd minute with Ajax locked at 2-2, Arokodare needed only two minutes to score his first competitive goal for the club before setting up Klaassen to complete a 4-2 victory.
After making an impact from the bench, the striker was finally handed his first start and responded with two more goals.
Although his outing ended after 60 minutes when he was replaced by Marcos Leonardo, Arokodare had already done the damage.
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Four goals. Two assists. Five appearances.
The numbers underline an explosive beginning to his Ajax career, with the Nigerian quickly making himself difficult for manager John Heitinga to ignore.
More importantly, Arokodare has continued to deliver when Ajax have needed him most, as his goals helped turn a potentially difficult European tie into a comfortable aggregate victory and booked Ajax’s place in the Conference League phase.
Now, with his first competitive start ending in a brace, Arokodare has given Heitinga another major selection decision to make ahead of Ajax’s next challenge.
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