Nigeria’s forgotten striker crowned Serie B’s best goal scorer with Verona stunner

Nigeria’s forgotten striker David Okereke's spectacular strike against Hellas Verona has been voted the Best Goal of September in Serie B.

The Benevento forward’s 30-metre rocket at the Stadio Ciro Vigorito beat two eye-catching contenders, including Andrea Belotti’s bicycle kick and Licina’s delicate finish, to claim the monthly prize.

Okereke’s moment of magic came on September 11, when Benevento hosted Verona in the fourth round of the Serie B campaign. The Nigerian had been handed his first start for the club and needed only 59 minutes to make it count.

With the game level at 1-1, Okereke collected the ball outside the penalty area before unleashing a ferocious right-footed strike that flew into the top corner beyond Verona goalkeeper Nicola Leali.

It was the kind of finish that appeared to hang in the air for a heartbeat before crashing into the net. It proved to be the decisive moment in Benevento’s 3-1 victory, with Davide Lamesta adding another six minutes later to seal the club’s first league win of the campaign.

Okereke, Nigeria's journeyman

Lagos-born forward Okereke arrived at Benevento in August after leaving Cremonese, where he endured a difficult spell, as a free agent.

The 29-year-old signed a contract running until June 2028, with an option for another season, as the newly promoted club added his experience to Antonio Floro Flores’ attack.

His career has taken him through Spezia, Cosenza, Club Brugge, Venezia, Cremonese, Torino and Gaziantep. At Club Brugge, he won back-to-back Belgian league titles and played in the Champions League. He also enjoyed a productive 2018-19 Serie B campaign with Spezia, scoring 10 goals and providing 10 assists.

This season, Okereke has only one Serie B goal, which has now won the league's prize, from four appearances and 184 minutes.

Yet the biggest missing piece from his career is a senior Nigeria appearance.

Okereke was a Nigeria U23 international and scored against Libya in an Olympic qualifying match in 2019. His performance earned him an invitation to the Super Eagles camp ahead of a friendly against Egypt, but he did not get onto the pitch.

The Abuja College Academy product has not worn Nigeria's green and white jersey since 2019.