Sociedad Coach, Alguacil, Salutes Umar after Ending Goal Drought

Real Sociedad coach Imanol Alguacil has praised Super Eagles’ striker, Sadiq Umar, after the Nigerian international scored in the hard-fought 3-2 win over Granada at the weekend.

Umar has had a tough start to life at Real Sociedad and controversially missed out on the last AFCON 2023 in Cote d’Ivoire where Nigeria was runner-up.

He was the club’s record signing when he joined from Almeria two years ago but sustained a season-ending injury just three games into his time at Real Sociedad, and he only returned fully this season.

Coach Alguacil has often expressed optimism over Umar despite his long layoff, but the Spanish coach has used him sparingly. 

Before Saturday’s game, the 27-year-old striker had started just eleven Laliga games and scored two goals, both of which came in the first half of the campaign.

However, Alguacil’s decision to start Umar against Granada on Saturday paid off, as he scored the first goal for Real Sociedad to spur them to victory.

Following Real Sociedad’s victory, coach Alguacil expressed satisfaction over Umar’s performance. He also praised Portuguese forward Andre Silva, who scored his second goal of the campaign.

“There is no doubt that it (scoring) is very important. I am transmitting peace of mind to them (Umar and Silva), but in many games, due to anxiety, they have done things that they did not have to do,” Alguacil said per Tribal football.com.

“Today, they have been calmer, so they have surely scored the goals. They come to them phenomenal, to feel important, because they have also served to add three points away from home.”

Alguacil would hope that Umar’s goal gives him confidence as the season reaches the home stretch. Real Sociedad sit sixth in the Laliga after 28 games. They are 12 points behind the Champions League spots.