Tolu Arokodare scores and assist as Ajax beat Atalanta to revive European campaign

Nigerian forward Tolu Arokodare continued his impressive goalscoring form after coming off the bench to inspire Ajax to a 2-0 victory over Atalanta in the UEFA Conference League.

The 24-year-old made an immediate impact after his introduction, breaking the deadlock in the 87th minute to put the Amsterdam-based side in front before turning provider for Abdellah Ouazane, who sealed the victory with a second goal in stoppage time.

Arokodare’s late contribution proved decisive for Ajax, who were desperate to secure their first three points in the competition following a disappointing start to their European campaign.

The Dutch giants had suffered a 2-1 defeat away to Hajduk Split in their opening fixture last week, leaving them under pressure to respond. However, they delivered a much-improved performance against Atalanta, with the Nigerian forward playing a key role in securing the victory.

His latest goal takes his tally to eight goals in nine appearances across all competitions for Ajax, underlining his impressive start to life at the club.

Despite starting the match on the bench, Arokodare demonstrated his quality and attacking instincts when called upon, finding the net at a crucial moment before setting up Ouazane to put the result beyond doubt.

The Nigerian international’s growing influence in the final third will be encouraging for Ajax as they look to build momentum in both domestic and European competitions.

With his goalscoring consistency and ability to make an impact from the bench, Arokodare is strengthening his case for a more prominent role in the team’s attacking setup.

Ajax will now hope the forward can maintain his rich vein of form as they seek to recover from their early setback and strengthen their position in the competition.