Michael Obafemi said he was happy to announce himself on the international scene after a world class finish in Ireland's much needed and highly impressive 3-0 Nations League win over Scotland.
Manager Stephen Kenny gave the Swansea striker his first international start as he led the line with Troy Parrott at the Aviva Stadium with the hosts in desperate hope of recovering from successive defeats in the competition.
The young strikers repaid the confidence in kind, both getting on the scoresheet in a hugely encouraging performance by the Boys in Green.
Alan Browne had given Ireland the lead before Obafemi picked out the run of Parrott to perfection and his header made it 2-0 at the interval.
Troy Parrott and Michael Obafemi combined for Parrott to ghost in behind the Scottish defence and double Ireland's lead #RTESoccer #IRLSCO #COYBIG
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) June 11, 2022
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"I looked up and I saw the darting run, and I thought, 'I’d better put it on his nugget. It was brilliant," he told RTÉ Sport.
"We spoke about it before the game, our link up play, and you saw it today for the second goal.
Six minutes after the break and it was a case of roles reversed, the Tottenham striker rolling the ball into the path of Obafemi who unleashed an unstoppable effort from distance.
🚀 Michael Obafemi has thundered in a stunning third goal for Ireland - his first for the Boys in Green #RTESoccer #IRLSCO #COYBIG #NationsLeague
— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) June 11, 2022
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"Happy to announce myself, and happy with the win," the player of the match said afterward.
Obafemi finished with 12 goals this season for Swansea and said his second-half thunderstrike was proof he needs to pull the trigger more often.
"Troy played me the ball. It just opened up and I was like, ‘hit it’. I feel like sometimes I don’t take enough shots. Today I thought I’d give it a go," he said.
Asked whether it was the best goal of his career, he responded: "One of them."
