Four Goals In Four Games: Forgotten Super Eagles Star Becomes Nigeria’s Most Prolific In Europa League

Former Manchester City signing Olanrewaju Kayode is yet to open his scoring account in the Turkish Super Liga, but he remains unstoppable in Europe’s second most prestigious club competition

Nigeria international Olanrewaju Kayode grabbed his fourth goal in the Europa League this term to help Sivasspor to an excellent 3-2 victory away to Qarabag on Thursday.

Kayode, who has not played for the Super Eagles in three years, was introduced into the game in the 57th-minute, and he needed only sixty seconds to get his name on the scorer’s sheet to make it 2-2 for the visitors on the night.

Arouna Kone’s strike ten minutes from time then earned all the three points at stake for Sivasspor as the Turkish side claimed their second group win of this campaign.

Despite a run of five league matches without a goal, Kayode, who only joined Sivasspor on loan from Shakhtar Donetsk this summer, has found joy in the Europa League, scoring in each of his side’s four group games in the competition.

The 27-year-old forward netted first in Sivasspor’s thrilling 5-3 defeat away to Samuel Chukwueze’s Villarreal on matchday one before registering Sivasspor’s only goal when Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv visited Turkey on matchday two.

Kayode was then instrumental in helping the Super Liga side earn their first three points of the campaign three weeks ago, scoring in the 2-0 defeat of Qarabag.

And he has now found the back of the net again in the reverse fixture to lift Sivasspor to six points and brighten their chances of making it past the group stages of the Europa League.

Kayode is presently the highest scoring Nigerian in the Europa League, with his four goals taking him past Leicester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho, who fired blanks in the Foxes’ exciting 3-3 draw at Braga also on Thursday night.