Lagos-born forward George Ilenikhena etched his name into AS Monaco history, coming off the bench to score a dramatic winner in their UEFA Champions League opener against FC Barcelona.
The 18-year-old’s goal not only secured a 2-1 victory for the French side but also saw him become the youngest goalscorer for Monaco in the competition, breaking Kylian Mbappé’s previous record.
The evening had started brightly for Monaco, as Maghnes Akliouche capitalized on Barcelona going down to ten men early in the match, giving the visitors an initial lead.
Spain’s rising star Lamine Yamal leveled the score with a composed finish in the 28th minute, but Ilenikhena’s heroics in the second half proved decisive.
A new Nigerian UCL sensation
Ilenikhena’s strike came at the 71st minute, just 12 minutes after replacing Breel Embolo. Latching onto a lobbed pass from Vanderson, the Nigerian forward powered his shot past Marc-André ter Stegen to stun Barcelona fans at the Stade Louis II. His goal made him Monaco’s youngest scorer in the Champions League at 18 years and 34 days, surpassing Mbappé, who previously set the record at 18 years and 63 days.
This wasn’t Ilenikhena’s first moment of UCL glory, though. The Nigerian wonderkid had already made headlines last season by becoming the youngest Nigerian to score in the competition during his time with Royal Antwerp. Now, with this latest achievement, he joins Sparta Prague's Victor Olatunji as the second Nigerian to score in the Champions League this season.
In his 31-minute cameo, the 18-year-old displayed his quality, completing all of his passes with a 100% accuracy rate, registering one shot on target, and another off. Despite limited touches, he left a significant mark on the match, securing a dream Champions League debut for Monaco.
