Yakubu shines on CSL debut
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E-mail Xinhua, July 16, 2012
Nigerian striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni scored the winner in his Chinese super league(CSL) debut, giving Guangzhou R&F a crucial derby win over league leaders Guangzhou Evergrande.
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Yakubu Aiyegbeni scored a controversial winner for Guangzhou Fuli. |
"I am very happy to score, It is a beautiful game for me, the atmosphere is fine and I like it," Yakubu said after the match.
Yakubu headed the ball into the net with only 3 minutes to go in the second half, giving the league leaders their first home defeat in CSL this season.
"Yakubu played a key role for us in tonight's game as he posed constant threat to the opponents box," Guangzhou R&F coach Sergio Farias praised the Nigerian after the match.
Not as famous as Shanghai Shenhua's newly embarked Didier Drogba, Yakubu has been a scoring machine in the English Premier League club Portsmouth and Nigerian national team. He scored 114 goals in 10 years at the English league since he joined Portsmouth in 2002. He has been a regular for the Nigerian national team since 2000 and scored 21 goals in 54 caps.
"I believe Yakubu is the one we need most. He has a good reputation and his ability has been tested in the world's most competitive league,"Guangzhou R&F's vice president Lu Yi said upon the acquisition of the Nigerian.
The new arrival made the start while Evergrande's Lucas Barrios was reserved by Lippi. Dario Conca started again after Evergrande rejected his transfer request.
The game was under way with rapid speed, but only to see Rafeal's free kick over the bar and Zheng Zhi's long drive off the post. Yakubu made his first shot in the 30th minutes into the first half. His pivot strike was punched out by Evergrande keeper Yang Jun.
Yang made several saves in the beginning of the second half. Barrios replaced Cleo in the 75th minute to make his debut in CSL. The 8.5 million import's header hit the post at his first touch, only to see Guangzhou R&F's narrow escape turn to late win.
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Evergrande players complained to the referee over the controversial goal. |
Yakubu then made a header right above Yang Jun in the 87th minute. The controversial goal triggered the anger of the home side, who belive the Nigerian committed a foul on the goal keeper before he made the header.
"The game was decided by an incident, but I will not make any comments on the referee," Evergrande coach Marcello Lippi said after the match.
But Yakubu didn't care -- debut goal, derby win, why not?
"I was full of confidence in the match. Thanks to my coach and teammates, they gave me the ultimate support," He said.
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