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Super Eagles striker Tolu Arokodare has declared his determination to make every opportunity count as Nigeria prepare for Tuesday’s crucial 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying return fixture against Tanzania in Zanzibar, Sports247.ng reports.
The Nigerian forward emerged as the hero of Friday’s 3-1 victory over the Taifa Stars in Uyo, scoring twice after coming off the bench to help Eric Chelle’s side secure three valuable points.
Arokodare’s impressive second-half contribution has given fresh significance to his earlier comments about the responsibility of Nigeria’s strikers to deliver goals whenever called upon.
“As a striker, I need to score goals. That’s my job for the team, and scoring goals wins games,” Arokodare declared in an interview conducted before the opening encounter.
The forward emphasised that every striker in the national team must accept responsibility for contributing to Nigeria’s attacking success.
“I think it’s not just for me, for every other striker on the national team. We have to always try to bring our A-game and score as much as possible as we can,” he explained.
His words proved particularly significant when he entered the action against Tanzania and struck in the 52nd and 60th minutes to restore Nigeria’s advantage after the visitors had equalised in the first half.
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Despite the competition for attacking positions, Arokodare insisted that his focus remains on making an impact regardless of whether he starts matches or enters as a substitute.
“It’s very important for me to use whatever opportunity I get, starting or not starting, coming off the bench, to always try to be in positions and score goals,” he stated.
The striker also revealed that he has been working deliberately to improve the mental and physical aspects of his game.
“That’s something I’m really working on mentally and physically,” he added.
Nigeria’s victory moved the Super Eagles to six points from three Group L matches, one point behind leaders Guinea-Bissau.
With the return fixture scheduled for November 17 at the Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar, Arokodare will be hoping to build on his match-winning performance as Nigeria pursue another vital victory.
Having already demonstrated his ability to change a match from the bench, Arokodare’s challenge now is to maintain his goalscoring form and help the Super Eagles complete the double over Tanzania.
