Sadiq Umar in action as Real Sociedad down Osasuna
In a surprising turn of events, Nigerian striker Sadiq Umar who was last-week ruled out due to injury from the Nigeria squad for the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2023, made a return to the field as a substitute in Real Sociedad’s Copa del Rey clash against Osasuna.
The match ended 0-2 in favour of Real Sociedad with Umar introduced in the final quater.
The turning point in the Copa del Rey fixture on Wednesday, January 17 occurred in the 56th minute when Osasuna’s Catena received a red card, leaving the team with ten players on the pitch. Seizing the advantage, Sociedad swiftly capitalized on the numerical superiority.
Mikel Oyarzabal broke the deadlock in the 57th minute, delivering a crucial goal that propelled Real Sociedad into the lead. The pressure continued to mount on Osasuna, and the match took a definitive turn when Mikel Merino added a second goal deep into stoppage time.
However, the most notable moment of the match was the return of Sadiq Umar to competitive action.
Having been withdrawn from the Nigeria squad for AFCON 2023 due to injury concerns, Umar’s appearance as a substitute marked a remarkable comeback earlier than the three weeks predicted by the Super Eagles doctors, reason he was replaced by Paul Onuachu on the list.
