Umar Sadiq scored for the first time in eight games as Almeria defeated Real Zaragoza 3-0 in their Spanish Segunda Division clash, reports Completesports.com.
Sadiq put Almeria ahead in the 62nd minute.
The 24-year-old has now scored eight goals for his club this season.
Alejandro Pozo and Largie Ramazani scored the other goals for Almeria.
Nigeria’s James Igbekeme was handed a starting berth by Zaragoza but was subbed off for Nano Mesa on the stroke of half time.
Almeria are now nine points clear at the top of the table with 45 points after 20 rounds of matches.
Juan Ignacio Martinez’s men travel to Lugo for their next game on December 20.
5 Comments
_Sadiq: frustration yielded fruits_
Unstoppable Umar Sadiq, coming out of an unusual goals drought, found the back of the net for Almeria as they took Real Zaragoza to the cleaners with an emphatic 3-0 drubbing this weekend.
Racing ahead of Zaragoza’s fullback to latch on to a through ball, Umar made light work of the onrushing goalkeeper before cooling guiding the ball into an empty net to put his side in the lead in 61 minutes.
Before then, Umar’s frustration at his goals drought came to the fore as he twice remonstrated angrily at his teammates for not passing to him as he felt he was in a better position to score.
Zaragoza also featured another Super Eagles midfield hopeful James Igbekeme whose chances of being called up by Rohr are on par with Nigeria landing a man on the moon.
Umar is another fantastic, productive player set to miss the Afcon in January. Football history has taught us that some players play themselves out of contention in major tournaments with underwhelming displays. Hence I see Umar getting a look in after the tournament in Cameroon when it becomes clear that some strikers have no business being in the Super Eagles.
He should really be in the boat to Cameroon but there appears to be several strikers ahead of him in Rohr’s hierarchy of sharpshooter.
You have Iheanacho, who is graciously warming bench recently, Ighalo, who is not a fan-favourite but fans the flame of discontent, and Onuachu who has suddenly lost his shooting boots. On another day Sadiq Umar should leapfrog these 3 centre forwards in the pecking order but hidebound, monolithic Rohr has his own unique way of seeing things.
With 15 goals involvement across 19 games in the Spanish La Liga 2 this season, Umar is surely one of Nigeria’s hottest properties in club football presently.
As he continues to shoot for the skies, what is left is for him to shoot straight into the Super Eagles squad.
It should only be a matter of time.
Sodiq should compete in a top5 league first before I can advocate for his inclusion into SE……SE has too many Second division players already(k.omeruo,J.collins,S.Ajayi)and they are blocking the path of genuine youngsters competing in top leagues…….Let sodiq move to Laliga or get promoted with Aimeria to the Laliga and compete there then we will bring down the roof for him to get invited……same goes for K.Nwakali,J.Igbekeme,and many others languishing in lower leagues and demanding an invite to SE.
Nice write up.
The writeup is so funny and honest. I agree with a lot of what your saying and like most people have come to see, the coach has his own way of seeing things even when its clear that some players dont belong in the Super Eagles.
Congratulations to big number 9 on ending his goal drought, keep IT coming.