All eyes on Nigeria’s wonder kid

Rangers of Scotland player Joe Aribo has become Nigeria’s 60th player to score in his maiden appearance for the Super Eagles.

Aribo scored Nigeria’s opening goal against Ukraine in tonight’s friendly which ended 2-2 the Dnipro Arena.

He scored barely four minutes into the game after being set up by Alex Iwobi

“I am really happy to have got this call-up to Nigeria and I just want to make the most of it and play as long as possible,” he said.

The 23-year-old who was born in England joins the likes of Obafemi Martins, Finidi George, Uche Okechukwu, Thompson Usiyan, and Matthias Obianika who scored in their first outing for Nigeria.

Bryan Idowu was the last player before Aribo to score on his debut which was against Argentina in November 2017 in a friendly.

The late Teslim Balogun was the first to score for Nigeria in his debut against Sierra Leone on October 8, 1949.
NIGERIA’S SCORING DEBUTANTS

PLAYER MATCH/ DATE VENUE

Balogun Tesilimi Sierra Leone October 8, 1949 FreetownOkoh Friday – 2 goals Gold Coast October 20, 1951 LagosAsoluka Cyril Gold Coast October 20, 1951 LagosAnieke Peter Gold Coast October 20, 1951 LagosOkere Titus Gold Coast October 20, 1951 LagosOkwudili Daniel Gold Coast October 27, 1956 LagosLonge Julius Gold Coast October 27, 1956 LagosEjoh Hubert Gold Coast October 27, 1956 LagosNoquapor Patrick – 2goals v. Ghana October 27, 1957 AccraIjeomah Isaac Ghana October 27, 1957 AccraBuraimoh Abudu – 2Goals v. Ghana October 25, 1958 LagosOnyali Elkana v. Ghana October 10, 1959 LagosOhiri Christopher v. Ghana October 10, 1959 LagosChukwumah Egwuonu v. Tunisia December 10, 1961 TunisEgbuonu Johnny v. Cameroon January 1, 1963, YaoundeUdemezue Chris v. Cameroon January 1, 1963, YaoundeOlatunji Lasisi v. Guinea July 27, 1963 LagosAnieke Sunday v. Gabon August 28, 1965 LibrevilleMordi Bobo v. Gabon August 28, 1965 LibrevilleOlowo-Oshodi Samsideen v. Congo November 5, 1966 LagosAghoghovbia Joe v. Cameroon December 10, 1968 LagosObianika Mathias – 2 Goals v. Upper Volta November 27, 1971 LagosOyarekhua Sunny v. Upper Volta November 27, 1971 LagosPopoola Ben v. Cote d’Ivoire July 18, 1974 LagosIbeabuchi Ogidi v. Ghana August 24, 1974 AccraUsiyen Thompson v. Kenya February 7, 1976 NairobiGodwin Iwelumo v. Benin February 14, 1977 LagosOnwuachi Martins v. Benin October 14, 1978 CotonouBoateng Leotis v. Tunisia July 12, 1980 LagosEmmanuel Osigwe v. Tunisia July 12,1980,LagosNwokocha Chris v. Tanzania Dec. 20, 1980 Dar-es-SalamAli Bala v. Upper Volta July 18, 1981 LagosAdeshina Ademola v. Ethiopia March 7, 1982 BenghaziOmughele John v. Ghana October 30, 1983 AccraSadi Dahiru v. Kenya April 20, 1985 LagosBalarabe Abubakar v. Guinea April 9, 1989 ConakryAdekola Adeolu v. Guinea April 22, 1989 IbadanOyekanmi Taju v. Cote d’Ivoire January 25, 1990 KadunaOkechukwu Uche v. Cote d’Ivoire January 25, 1990 KadunaLawal Dimeji v. Togo August 18, 1990 LagosFinidi George v. Burkina Faso July 27, 1991 LagosTaiwo Wasiu v. USA June 11, 1995 BostonFatusi Tesilimi v. Czech Rep. Dec, 11, 1996 CasablancaZeigbo Kenneth v. Cameroon August 7, 1997 TunisGarba Ahmed v. Iran Jan. 28, 1998 Hong KongAghahowa Julius v. Morocco February 3, 2000 LagosIshola Shuaibu v. Malawi June 4, 2000 KanoAgali Victor v. Zambia January 13, 2001 LagosOpabunmi Femi v. Kenya May 4, 2002 LagosOgochukwu Ileagwu v. Senegal October 12, 2002 DakarOgechukwu Uche v. Ghana December 15, 2002 AccraAkwueme Emeka v. Jordan April 28, 2004 LagosMartins Obafemi v. Ireland May 29, 2004 LondonMakinwa Ayodele v. South Africa Nov. 17, 2004 JohannesburgAkabueze Chukwuma v. Kenya May 27, 2007 NairobiPeter Utaka v. Congo DR March 3, 2010 AbujaOsas Idehen v. Congo DR March 3, 2010 AbujaEhiosun Ekigho v. Sierra Leone February 9, 2011, LagosBryan Idowu. v. Argentina, November 14, 2017Joseph Aribo v. Ukraine September 10, 2019