Nigerian defender Ehije Ukaki has delivered his first goal of the season after helping his side Botev Plovdiv secure a home draw against Lokomotiv Plovdiv during their league game over the weekend.
Plovdiv was treated to a thrilling Plovdiv Derby showdown as Botev and Lokomotiv shared the spoils in a 2-2 thriller, Footballrover reports.
The Nigerian contingent at Botev Plovdiv was in the thick of the action, with 19-year-old defender Ehije Ukaki grabbing the headlines.
In a game full of so much intensity, Ukaki unleashed his inner attacking trait to net his first goal of the season, giving Botev a crucial lead.
It was a moment of pure joy for the youngster, who had been patiently waiting for his chance to shine.
But the drama was far from over. Despite dominating possession and creating numerous scoring opportunities, Botev couldn’t hold on to their lead.
Lokomotiv fought back valiantly, snatching an equaliser deep into stoppage time to leave both teams with a point to share.
Another Nigerian, Samuel Akere, also played a key role in the game, providing the assist for Botev’s opening goal.
Key moments:
- Nikola Iliev opens the scoring for Botev, assisted by Samuel Akere.
- Lokomotiv equalizes through Mitchy Ntelo.
- Ehije Ukaki scores a stunning goal to put Botev back in front.
- Lokomotiv snatch a late equalizer through Julien Lamy.
How it all went down in the Plovdiv Derby
Nigerian midfielder Akere and Nikola Iliev combined well to find the back of the net with an impressive finish in the 17th minute, giving Botev a deserved lead.
⚽️ GOAAAAL
🇧🇬 Nikola Iliev with an astonishing finish gives Botev the lead
⚡️Iliev wears number 21 on his back, the #Bitcoin momentum is 🔥
🟡 1:0 🔴 (17’)#BPFC #football #derby #Plovdiv pic.twitter.com/97jXgNBOkF
— Botev Plovdiv (@Botev_EN) July 28, 2024
However, the lead was short-lived as Belgian forward Mitchy Ntelo equalised for Lokomotiv Plovdiv 11 minutes into the second period of the game, restoring parity to the match.
Just after that goal, Botev made a double substitution, introducing Nigerian defender Ukaki to replace Iliev and fellow countryman Christian Nwachukwu coming on for Akere.
Another Nigerian, Anthony Ujah, was also substituted in the 68th minute, with Croatian forward Martin Sekulic taking his place.
The game took another dramatic turn in the 72nd minute when the newly introduced Ukaki scored to give Botev a 2-1 lead.
Despite Botev’s lead, Lokomotiv Plovdiv refused to give up and grabbed an equaliser once again through French forward Julien Lamy late in the game, ensuring the points were shared.
With ten goal attempts compared to the visiting side’s seven, Botev Plovdiv managed to secure one point at the end of the match.
While the result might have been a bittersweet one for Botev, they now hold a four-point lead in the early rounds of the league, one point ahead of their visitors, who are in third position.
But then, with their attacking flair and defensive resilience, they will now prepare for the upcoming Europa League qualifier against Panathinaikos on Thursday.
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