Samuel Chukwueze scores first La Liga goal

Wonderkid Samuel Chukwueze scored his first La Liga goal for Villarreal on Sunday in their 2-2 away draw to Rayo Vallecano at the Estadio de Vallecas.

The Super Eagles invitee, who made his La Liga debut for Villarreal last week scored the game’s opener in the 33rd minute before home team Rayo got a goal back at the stroke of half time via a Raul De Tomas effort and took the lead in the 66th minute through Alvaro Garcia. Subsitiute, Nicola Sansone equalized for the visitors in the 80th minute.

19 year-old Chukwueze, who played for Nigeria at under-17 level, was called-up to the Super Eagles by Gernot Rohr for the 2019 AFCON qualifiers against South Africa and the friendly match with Uganda in Asaba this weekend.

It was Chukwueze’s second senior goal for the club after getting off the mark in the Copa del Rey win over Almeria in October.

Chukwueze joined Villarreal youth setup in 2017, from local side Diamond Academy. After being initially assigned to the club’s Juvenil A squad, he made his senior debut with the reserves on 15 April 2018, coming on as a second-half substitute for Sergio Lozano in a 1–1 Segunda División B away draw against CE Sabadell FC.

Chukwueze made his first-team debut on 20 September 2018 in a 2–2 UEFA Europa League home draw against Scottish giants Rangers, coming in for Nicola Sansone in the 79th minute and has played seven times for the Valencia based club’s first team.