Nigerian forward Ibrahim Aliyu found the back of the net for Columbus Crew in their 2-1 Major League Soccer victory over Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday night, Soccernet.ng reports.
Aliyu opened the scoring for the home team – his second for the season – on the road to Columbus Crew registering a crucial win that ended a run of six winless games.
The 23-year-old attacker's early strike for Columbus Crew sent his name into the club’s record books.
Nigeria's Aliyu shines for Columbus Crew in the MLS
Aliyu fired the Crew into an early lead against Vancouver Whitecaps with a superb goal after just 68 seconds — officially the second-fastest goal in Columbus Crew’s MLS history and the quickest ever scored at their Lower.com Field home.
Two minutes in and it's a dream start for Ibrahim Aliyu and @ColumbusCrew!
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 14, 2025
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Aliyu’s sharp start helped Columbus snap a frustrating six-game winless run with a spirited 2-1 win over the Western Conference leaders. Diego Rossi added a second in the 23rd minute — his ninth goal of the season — following an assist by Daniel Gazdag, who notched his first contribution since arriving from Philadelphia Union.
The Crew thought they had added a third in the second half but saw three goals ruled out for offside, including one Aliyu believed should have stood.
A message from the man himself ️ pic.twitter.com/bTtjj1JMp4
— The Crew (@ColumbusCrew) June 15, 2025
“I couldn’t believe it,” said Aliyu, recalling a disallowed goal later in the game. “I need to check again because I saw when Aziel had the ball, I saw the defenders. I don’t know how (it was offside).”
Coach Wilfried Nancy praised the team's resilience and highlighted the tactical adjustments that turned their form around.
“We deserved more wins, but we didn’t do it,” said Nancy. “Tonight, they showed spirit and intensity.”
Aliyu, born in Kano in 2002, started his journey in Nigeria before earning a move to Croatian side Lokomotiva Zagreb in 2020, where he quickly made an impression with goals against Dinamo Zagreb and Hajduk Split. The former Flying Eagles star later joined Houston Dynamo before switching to Columbus Crew in April 2025.
Despite limited experience at wingback, Aliyu impressed in his new role under Nancy and continues to rise as one of Nigeria’s most exciting exports in MLS. A self-confessed Real Madrid fan, Aliyu idolises Kylian Mbappé — another fast starter.
The Crew next face Atlanta United on June 25.
