Super Eagles Striker Comes Off the Bench to Fire Club to Victory

According to a report by Goal.com on Thursday, October 22, 2026, Super Eagles striker Tolu Arokodare came off the bench to fire Ajax to a 2-0 victory over Atalanta in the UEFA Conference League on Thursday night.

He scored a late opener before setting up the second goal to secure all three points for the Dutch side.

The Nigerian forward delivered a decisive performance at the Johan Cruyff ArenA in Amsterdam on Thursday after replacing Marcos Leonardo in the 66th minute.

With Ajax struggling to convert their chances, Arokodare broke the deadlock in the 87th minute.

He controlled a long pass from Youri Baas, used his strength to get past his marker and calmly beat Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi in a one-on-one situation.

The former Wolverhampton Wanderers striker then turned provider in stoppage time, setting up teenage substitute Abdellah Ouazane to score Ajax’s second goal and seal the victory.

Ouazane finished brilliantly in the 90th minute, ensuring that Ajax collected their first points of the Conference League league phase after losing their opening fixture 2-1 away to Hajduk Split.

Ajax had dominated large portions of the encounter but struggled to find a breakthrough before Arokodare’s introduction made the difference.

Lucas Rosa struck the post early in the game, while the hosts continued to create opportunities without finding the net.

The victory was an important response from Ajax, who had entered the match looking to recover from their disappointing European opener.

Arokodare’s contribution underlined his growing importance to the Amsterdam club, with the Nigerian forward demonstrating his ability to influence a match from the substitutes’ bench.

His goal and assist against Atalanta also highlighted his attacking threat, as he combined physical strength, composure in front of goal, and awareness to help Ajax secure a crucial European victory.

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