“I’m proud”- Raphael Onyedika elated with goal at Manchester City, despite Club Brugge’s loss

Super Eagles midfielder Raphael Onyedika has expressed happiness at scoring against Manchester City at the Etihad on Wednesday, Soccernet.ng reports.

Onyedika thought he would be the hero for Club Brugge after he scored at the stroke of halftime against Manchester City.

The Belgian giants needed a draw to qualify for the Champions League playoffs, while Manchester City needed a win. Before Onyedika's goal, the Cityzens had dominated the possession, albeit their Belgian visitors had almost the same number of shots.

After Onyedika's goal, it looked like it would be another torrid night for Manchester City, but Pep Guardiola's men were just too good to be denied. The reigning Premier League champions put up a brilliant second-half performance, with goals from Mateo Kovacic, Joel Ordonez (OG), and Savinho to seal the 3-1 win.

Despite the loss, Club Brugge still qualified for the playoffs. While Onyedika was not happy with the result, he was excited about his goal, which was his first in the UEFA Champions League.

“I don't know how to put it, but it's an amazing feeling to score my first goal in City's stadium. I'm so proud,” Onyedika told Shina Oludare.

“We knew it would be difficult after we got the first goal, we were a bit sloppy. And when we conceded the first goal, they had more momentum and energy, so it was much more difficult for us because of our mistakes.”

Super Eagles’ Raphael Onyedika describes scoring against Man City as an “amazing feeling.”

Also, he discusses his Champions League goals, his future amid transfer speculation, the Super Eagles, and the upcoming World Cup qualifiers… stay tuned! #UCL pic.twitter.com/qWA35RsjFu

— Shina Oludare (@sportingshina) January 29, 2025

The result means that Manchester City and Club Brugge will participate in the Champions League playoffs for the round of 16. Club Brugge will play Borussia Dortmund or Atalanta, while Manchester City will play Real Madrid or Bayern Munich.

Meanwhile, Onyedika will be looking to continue his impressive performances for Club Brugge and help them qualify for the next round. The draws for the playoff stage are set to take place on Friday, January 31.