Tolu Arokodare Shines with Goal and Assist in Ajax's Victory

Tolu Arokodare came off the bench and ripped the game open. Ajax already had control of their UEFA Europa Conference League playoff against Sion, but the Nigerian forward turned a solid win into a statement 4-2 victory.

Thrown on in the 72nd minute for Marcos Leonardo, Arokodare needed barely two minutes to make his mark. He struck Ajax’s third goal of the night, a decisive blow in a contest that had been tight and nervy for long spells.

The impact didn’t stop there. Late on, with Sion chasing and spaces appearing, Arokodare picked his moment again. This time he turned provider, laying the ball on for Davy Klaassen to hit Ajax’s fourth three minutes from time and finally kill off the tie.

On a night of big contributions, his cameo stood out. One goal. One assist. Twenty or so minutes that changed the tone of the evening.

Manager Míchel Sánchez did not hold back in his praise.

“Tolu brought a lot of energy when he came on. He works hard, he scores and he helps us,” Sánchez told Ajax Life, as quoted by Goal. “He has a good character. I think he is a nice boy. I hope he keeps helping us in this way.”

For Arokodare, it was more than just numbers on the stat sheet. It was a loud reminder that Ajax’s forward options run deep — and that he intends to be part of the conversation when the big decisions on the attacking pecking order are made.