Nigerian forward Umar Sadiq delivered a game-changing performance to propel Real Sociedad to a 2–0 victory over Reus FC in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday night.
Introduced in the second half, the Super Eagles striker immediately made his mark by assisting Mikel Goti for the opening goal in the 49th minute before winning and converting a penalty to seal the win at the Estadi Municipal de Reus.
The strike also ended a 228-day goal drought, with Sadiq’s last goal coming on April 19 against Rayo Vallecano during his loan spell at Valencia.
Sadiq’s return to form comes after a challenging start to the season, including an unsuccessful summer transfer attempt, making his performance against Reus all the more significant.
Speaking after the match, Real Sociedad manager Sergio Francisco praised the Nigerian’s influence and physical presence on the field.
“Sadiq is Sadiq, whenever he comes on to play in recent matches he brings something to the table,” Francisco said.
“And today he brought strength, the ability to challenge, the ability to put a player in the back line who wins balls for us, who flicks them on, who always threatens the opponent, who if we get down the wings and attack the area can be a decisive player, and he was also the one who got the penalty that gave us peace of mind.”
