Nigeria defender Semi Ajayi continued his goal scoring form for Rotherham United who fell to a 2-1 home defeat to Norwich City in their English Championship clash at the AESSEAL New York Stadium on Saturday, Completesports.com reports.
Ajayi scored the equalising goal for Rotherham United in the 53rd minute cancelling out Kenny McLean 45th opener for the visitors.
Ben Godfrey netted the winner for Norwich City in the 57th minute of the encounter.
Ajayi has now scored in three consecutive games for Rotherham United.
He has hit the back of the net six times in 38 English Championship appearances for the Millers this season.
Young Nigerian forward Joshua Kayode was an unused substitute for Rotherham United in the game.
In another Championship match on Saturday , John Mikel Obi also ended on the losing side with Middlesbrough at the Villa Park, Birmingham ,going down to 3-0 defeat to Aston Villa.
Mikel who was on for 90 minutes in the game was cautioned in the 52nd minute.
He has made nine appearances for Tony Pulis’ men since his winter arrival at the club.
Oghenekaro Etebo made a return to Stoke City’s starting line-up in their 0-0 home draw against Reading after missing the Potters’ previous two Championship games due to groin injury .
Etebo played the entire duration of the game at the Bet365 Stadium. He received a yellow card in the 73rd minute.
The all-action midfielder has made 26 appearances in the Championship and scored a goal for Stoke City thus far this season.
By Adeboye Amosu
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COMMENTS
wat kind of player is this? SEMI AJAYI scoring like attacker. he was even given the title king of aerial won…very perfect he will pair ndidi to shield iwobi who will supply ighalo musa and kalu. very good of ajayi kind of defensive player i need. yes won tackles and spray passes.
With this sort of goal scoring streak, it is very difficult to see his club manager reverting Ajayi to back central defence.
This, I suspect, could also be the thinking of Gernot Rohr who needs all the firepower he can get from midfield.
Think about it: in Super Eagles’ last 6 matches, Rohr’s boys have put 14 goals past their opponents since June last year.
Of those 14 goals, only 1 was scored by a player who is not an attacker (Awaziem’s 34th minute goal against Seychelles in September 2018).
So, you will think Rohr would want to widen the net of outfield players who can put the ball in the back of the net and Ajayi is proving to be that sort of player based on his current club form.
Nigeria has never really being short of central/defensive midfielders who can potentially score screamers from afar.
Oliseh’s iconic goal against Spain in 1998 readily comes to mind. Very few will also forget Okocha’s pile-driver against Cameroon in Surulere in 2000 Afcon.
Ogu’s eloquent 62nd minute long-range curler against Algeria in 2017 has unfortunately been chopped off the history books due to NFF’s incompetence of fielding an ineligible player.
Ndidi has often come close but his efforts against Iceland and Argentina were agonisingly close but no cigars.
Will Semi be the one to follow in the footsteps of Oliseh, Okocha and Ogu (albeit in a disqualified match)?
Only Rohr can make that a possibility. It will not happen if Ajayi is left to languish on the bench whilst Ndidi continues to blast wide off the mark.
1 goal out of 14 coming out of a player who is not an attacker from 6 matches is a potential cause of concern regarding Super Eagles midfield goal scoring potentials.
With Semi, that situation may well improve.
True talk, Deo. And at this rate, I don’t think Semi will be a Rotherham player next season. The big clubs are watching and waiting to pounce! It is difficult to ignore a goal-scoring DM, who also does his DM duties fairly well. A utility player who can play anywhere. I first saw him play when he was subbed on against Seychelles in our 3-0 win. I kept asking myself, “who is this guy bombing up and down the right wing, and delivering “Finidi-like” crosses into the box”? The big problem for Rohr now is to figure out the way to use this guy that will add the most value to the team.
G.R need to Field this guy in all games to ascertain what he can do..I mean players scoring goals will be ignored and he will be picking player’s who don’t play regularly.. Anuachu inclusion was an eye open bcos he is far better than those bench warmer he always invited in the SE but let see how it goes in this two matches in Asaba
I think the Coach should try Semi at DM against Seychelles, Etebo as CM and Iwobi as AMF and start Ndidi as DM against Egypt which I think it’s a tough one and we need our assured stars. Then Semi Ajayi can come in later during the game. I’m impressed with Semi’s improvement thus far. A Defensive midfielder scoring like an attacker…WOW!! 6goals in 5 matches..TWALE
Super Eagles and DreamTeam scorers so far this week:
Henry Onyekuru x2
Semi Ajayi x3
David Okereke x1
Orji Okonkwo x1
And we still have Sunday’s games to go with 8 potential goalscorers – Chukwueze, Osimhen, Bonaventure, Awoniyi, Onuachu still to play before the international break.
I’ll push the boat out and say the CAF duo of Alimi of Lobi (CAF champions league 2 goals today) as well as Bright Silas of Enugu Rangers (another Confederations cup regular goal scorer) also deserves a look. As well as a third, Mfon Udo the premier league top goal scorer.
Our attacking threat is awesome in both the SE and the U23, hopefully, they will all be firing on all cylinders and it will be goals galore next weekend
Keep It up Ajayi, the super Eagles skippo in waiting.All the pretenders should up their games now.
Gbam.
We love this Ajayi guy. He will be playing in the Premier League in the Fall. l can assure you folks of that. Lets hope Rohr will rest Ndidi to give Ajayi his 90 minutes full time in Asaba nest week. Ajayi is doing what Ndidi has not being able to do so far for his Club.