Nigerian midfielder Faustino Adebola Rasheed Anjorin has expressed his joy after netting his first Serie A goal during Empoli's thrilling 2-2 draw with Venezia on Sunday afternoon, Soccernet.ng reports.
Tino Anjorin, who previously had loan spells Lokomotiv Moscow, Huddersfield and Portsmouth, had only managed three assists in his first 17 matches for Empoli.
However, Anjorin provided the key contribution as Empoli avoided a home defeat against visiting Venezia.
Speaking after the match, the 22-year-old midfielder was delighted with his first Serie A goal but he was left unsatisfied that Empoli could not find a late winner.
“We are happy with the comeback obviously,” Anjorin said as per Pianeta Empoli.
“We wanted to win, we tried. I was so involved in that moment that the only thought I had was to take the ball and bring it back to the midfield because we wanted to win it.
“We are not totally satisfied with the result. An important goal because it allows us to take home a point and it is also important from a personal point of view. Now I am fine.”
Anjorin, who joined Empoli on a permanent deal from Chelsea last summer, came off the bench in the 77th minute to replace Liam Henderson.
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Just ten minutes later, he produced a moment of individual quality—curling a low shot into the bottom corner from just inside the box to level the match with three minutes left on the clock.
The goal is a significant personal milestone for Anjorin, who had played over 1,000 minutes in Serie A before opening his account. It was also a timely reminder of his talent, particularly as he returns from a thigh injury that sidelined him for over two months.
The injury had previously prevented him from staking a claim for a potential call-up to Nigeria’s Super Eagles, with national team coach Eric Chelle reportedly monitoring the progress of the England youth international.
Empoli had taken the lead in the 59th minute through Jacopo Fazzini, before Venezia hit back with two quick goals from Kelvin Yeboah and Gianluca Busio in the closing stages. But Anjorin’s late strike ensured the spoils were shared.
Despite the draw, both Empoli and Venezia remain locked in the relegation zone on 25 points—just one point adrift of 17th-placed Lecce, who sit on 26 after 33 matches.
Born in Poole, England, Anjorin is eligible to represent Nigeria through his father. He previously featured for England at U17, U18, and U19 levels between 2018 and 2019. His move to Empoli in August 2024 was seen as a fresh start after a series of loan spells from Chelsea.
