Arokodare reacts to joining 100-goal club

Tolu Arokodare has reacted to joining the 100-goal club, thanking God and the people who have supported him after reaching the landmark, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

The 25-year-old marked the milestone on social media after scoring for Ajax in their 2-0 UEFA Conference League win over Atalanta on Thursday.

“100 career goals. Grateful for this journey I am on and the path that God has paved for me. It is Him and all the people along the way who have got me here, and for that I am thankful. The journey continues. God is the greatest,” he wrote.

The Super Eagles striker came on in the 66th minute at the Johan Cruijff Arena and broke the deadlock in the 87th. He controlled a long ball from Youri Baas and finished calmly past goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi.

17-year-old substitute Abdellah Ouazane sealed the win with a solo goal in stoppage time.

Arokodare’s career goals have come across several countries, with 22 goals for Valmiera in Latvia, 21 for Amiens on loan, 41 for Genk in Belgium, six for Wolves and two for Nigeria.

He joined Ajax on a season-long loan from Wolves in the summer and now has eight goals for the club.

The win ended Ajax’s eight-match winless run against Italian clubs, dating back to April 2019. It also gave them their first points of the Conference League league phase after an opening defeat to Hajduk Split.

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Ajax coach Míchel Sánchez said he introduced Arokodare to add threat in the box.

“I brought him on to create more threat in the penalty area. Sometimes you make substitutions, and they don’t work out well, but the return of the players who came off the bench brought about the improvement for me,” he said.

“Tolu is a special player, as I have already said, and I have a very good relationship with him. But also with the rest of the team.”

Arokodare said the result was a response to a poor run.

“We didn’t play the way we wanted to over the past few weeks, drawing games or even losing. The last two games, including this one – that’s the way we want to play. We’re a top-level team with great players, and we want to show our talent,” he said.

“Hopefully, I won’t be a loan player for much longer. I’m going to talk to Jordi,” he said, referring to Ajax technical director Jordi Cruijff.