Tolu Arokodare shares what Victor Osimhen told him to do for injured Ajax teammate
- Ajax striker Tolu Arokodare scored his fourth Eredivisie goal of the season in a 1-1 draw against NEC at Johan Cruijff ArenA
- Arokodare revealed that Victor Osimhen was behind his post-goal tribute gesture for injured Ajax teammate Kasper Dolberg
- Dolberg had recently undergone surgery on his right knee in Copenhagen after picking up the injury during international duty
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Ajax forward Tolu Arokodare has opened up about the touching gesture he made after scoring against NEC on Saturday, crediting Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen as the man who put the idea in his head.
The Nigerian striker netted just seven minutes into Ajax's eighth Eredivisie fixture of the season, powering a header into the net to give his side an early lead at Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam.
Source: Getty Images
NEC drew level in the 19th minute through a Tjaronn Chery penalty, and the match ended 1-1 with neither side managing to break the deadlock again.
Osimhen's influence behind Arokodare's gesture
After the final whistle, Arokodare explained that his celebration was more than a personal moment.
He revealed that Osimhen had specifically encouraged him to hold up the shirt of injured Ajax teammate Kasper Dolberg to the supporters in the stands.
"I wanted to do something like this [show Dolberg's jersey to the fans]. Or rather, it wasn't my idea; Osimhen told me, 'You should do something like this,' and I did. I thank him for that," Arokodare said, as quoted by Le Marca Sports.
The tribute was directed at Dolberg, who picked up a knee injury during a training session with the Danish national team while on international break.
The 29-year-old striker travelled to Copenhagen, where he successfully underwent surgery on his right knee on Tuesday.
He is now in the early stages of his rehabilitation.
Osimhen is no stranger to this kind of solidarity. The Galatasaray forward previously showed the shirt of Argentine striker Mauro Icardi to the Galatasaray supporters after Icardi suffered an injury, establishing a pattern of support that he has now passed on to his fellow Nigerian.
Arokodare building momentum at Ajax
As seen on Transfermarkt, the goal against NEC was Arokodare's fourth in seven Eredivisie appearances this season and his seventh across all competitions since completing his move to Ajax from Wolverhampton Wanderers during the summer transfer window.
The 25-year-old has settled into life in Amsterdam quickly, cementing his role as one of the club's key attacking options.
His ability to get on the scoresheet regularly has given Ajax a reliable presence up front as they push through the early months of the campaign.
Despite the draw against NEC, Arokodare's performance and the story behind his celebration gave supporters reason for optimism, both for the team's attacking potential and for the bond forming within the squad around Dolberg's recovery.
Arokodare picks Osimhen as best teammate
Legit.ng previously reported about Arokodare naming Osimhen as the best player he has played with, while singling out Bruno Fernandes as his toughest opponent.
The Ajax striker has shared the pitch with Osimhen just twice for Nigeria, yet the Super Eagles star’s impact stayed with him.
Source: Legit.ng
