Having been left out of Barcelona’s game against Albacete last weekend, Super Falcons striker Asisat Oshoala netted in her maiden appearance for Barcelona Femení as they recorded a comprehensive 4-0 win against Rayo Vallecano at the Ciudad Deportiva Rayo Vallecano Campo 4 (Madrid) on Sunday. The Dalian Quanjian loanee replaced Alexia Putellas in the 62nd minute and opened her account for the Blaugranes less than a minute later which wrapped up the impressive victory.
Barcelona had established a three-goal cushion by the half-hour mark courtesy of goals from Alexia Putellas, Marten and Mariona. Oshoala's 63rd minute goal against Rayo Vallecano is the fastest ever debut goal she has scored for her European clubs. The FC Robo product scored 46 minutes into her debut for Arsenal Women in a 3-1 victory against Reading on March 23, 2016 and opened her account for Liverpool Women after spending 115 minutes on the pitch in what was her second game.
The three-time African Women's Footballer of the Year is in line to make her home debut for Lluís Cortés' side against Sporting de Huelva on Wednesday, February 13. Barcelona women head coach, Luis Cortes before the game was optimistic Oshoala can bring the team very good things and was excited to have landed the Super Falcons forward after watching her in training with the rest of the team. The coach, however, did not include the former Dalian Quanjian player in last Sunday’s clash with Albacete at the Mini Estadi.
“Asisat has arrived in a good physical condition. With the trip and the changes may be right now is not ready to play, but I think that from next week (Sunday) can start to bring us very good things to the team,” Cortes told the media.
Oshoala and her new Barcelona side have been drawn against last season’s beaten finalists Atletico Madrid in the Spanish Queen’s Cup semi-final in Madrid, while Real Sociedad will clash with Sevilla. Winners of the two semi-final matches on February 17 will square up for the final of the competition billed to be played in Granada on May 11. In spite of not having a too impressive turnout at the last African Women Cup of Nations (AWCON) in Ghana, culminating in losing the 2018 CAF Women Africa Footballer Year title to South Africa’s Thembi Kgatlana. Oshoala was three-times African Footballer of the Year- 2014, 2016 and 2017, won the Golden Boot and Golden Ball at the Under-20 World Cup in 2014 and was top goal-scorer in the Chinese Super League in 2017.
Spanish giants, Barcelona, however, did not lose sight of the natural ability the Falcons star possesses. It, therefore, came as a little surprise when the scouts of Camp Nou went for her signature. Oshoala last Thursday took her professional career to another level after moving to Barcelona FC Ladies on loan from Chinese club, Dalian Quanjian. She’s quick and powerful (1.73 m and 70 kg) and has previous experience in European football at Arsenal (2016) and Liverpool (2015).


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