The 3-0 victory of Sparta Prague over FC Salzburg at epet ARENA in Prague on Wednesday saw Nigerian striker Victor Olatunji make history in the UEFA Champions League by scoring on his debut, according to PUNCH Sports Extra. After Ivory Coast’s Serge Aurier and Gabon’s Daniel Cousin accomplished the feat in 2015 for PSG against Shakhtat Donetsk and Rangers vs. Lyon in 2007, the 25-year-old striker scored his team’s second goal in the 42nd minute to become the third African to score and assist on their debut in Europe’s top club competition. Olatunji helped Qasim Laçi score the team’s third goal in minute 58, as the hosts triumphed handily in front of more than 17,000 supporters, after Kasper Kairinen’s first-minute strike had placed them ahead 2-0.
When Sparta Prague eventually played in the Champions League at Letná after 19 years, he created yet another piece of history. With this outcome, Sparta Prague’s lengthy wait for a Champions League triumph came to an end. Their last triumph came against Lazio 1-0 in December 2003. In what was their ninth official tournament appearance, it was also the first time they had ever won the opening round of play. Olatunji expressed his happiness for the team to the UEFA media after
We play as a team every time, and I had a great time. I could have shot for the third goal, but I wanted to give us a better opportunity to score because it would not have been beneficial for the team to waste that opportunity. Olatunji, a Sokoto native currently in his second season with Sparta Prague, began his professional career in Eastern Europe in 2019 after joining Podbrezová from Inter Milan. He also wore the jerseys of Liberec, Mattersburg, AEK Larnaca, Alki Oroklini, and AEK Larnaca.
