By Kazeem Ugbodaga
Nigerian striker Tolu Arokodare announced himself in Ajax colours in style on Thursday, scoring his first goal for the Dutch giants as they came from behind to defeat FC Sion 4-2 in the first leg of their UEFA Conference League play-off tie.
Arokodare, who came off the bench in the 73rd minute for Marcos Leonardo, needed only a minute to make his mark.
With Ajax level at 2-2, the 25-year-old rose impressively to meet a cross and powered a low header inside the right post in the 74th minute, putting the Amsterdam club 3-2 ahead.
The goal capped an instant impact from the Nigerian, who had only just entered the contest. He was not finished, either.
In the 87th minute, Arokodare turned provider, setting up Davy Klaassen to score Ajax’s fourth goal and effectively seal a remarkable comeback victory in Switzerland.
Ajax had fallen behind in the 34th minute when Franck Surdez fired Sion into the lead, but Julian Brandt restored parity eight minutes into the second half.
Marcos Leonardo then put Ajax ahead in the 60th minute before Sion levelled again through Ilyas Chouaref’s penalty in the 72nd minute.
Arokodare’s introduction proved decisive. His header restored Ajax’s advantage just two minutes after Sion’s equaliser, before Klaassen’s late finish completed the scoring and gave Ajax a commanding advantage ahead of next week’s return leg in Amsterdam.
The performance represents an encouraging start to Arokodare’s Ajax adventure.
The striker officially joined Ajax on July 29, 2026, arriving from Wolverhampton Wanderers on a season-long loan deal that runs until the summer of 2027. The agreement also includes an option for Ajax to make the transfer permanent.
Arokodare moved to Wolves from Belgian side Genk in September 2025 after establishing himself as one of the prolific forwards in Belgian football. Wolves confirmed that he made 38 appearances for the club during the 2025-26 season, scoring six goals, including three in the Premier League.
Before his move to England, the Nigerian enjoyed a productive spell at Genk, where he finished as the Jupiler Pro League’s top scorer in the 2024-25 season. His career has also taken him through Latvia, France and Germany, with Ajax noting that he has scored in all four countries.
The 1.97-metre forward began his football journey in Nigeria before moving to Europe as a teenager. He first attracted attention at Latvian club Valmiera, where he scored 22 goals in 32 league appearances, including 15 goals in 16 Virsliga matches during the 2020 season.
Ajax recruited him to provide a different attacking profile, with technical director Jordi Cruijff describing Arokodare as a striker with qualities the squad did not previously possess.
The Nigerian has also made no secret of his excitement at joining one of Europe’s most historic clubs. In his first Ajax interview, he spoke of his admiration for the club and named fellow Nigerian and former Ajax star Nwankwo Kanu among his role models.
Now, after just one appearance in the Conference League, Arokodare has already given Ajax supporters a glimpse of what he can offer: physical presence, aerial strength, sharp finishing and an ability to make an immediate impact.
