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Rasheedat Ajibade on target as Atletico Madrid thrash Valencia
By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde
Nigeria forward Rasheedat Ajibade scored her eighth goal of the campaign on Saturday as Atletico Madrid thrashed Valencia 6-2 in Spanish Liga F encounter.
The Super Falcons star was handed her 18th start of the season by manager Manuel Cano and she didn’t disappoint.
From a free kick, Lopez Milan opened the scoring for the Champions League spot chasing hosts in the 20th minute.
Valencia responded in the 50th minute as Fiamma Iannuzzi headed in Portales Nieto’s cross.
The host restored its lead three minutes later when Eva Maria Navarro converted a penalty kick, sending Cosette Morche the wrong way.
Ajibade got on the score sheet two minutes later when she received a pass from Lucia Moral before her right-footed strike inside the box hit the bottom left corner.
A cross from Navarro in the 59th minute was tapped in by Moral who increased Atletico’s lead to 4-1.
Kerlly Real reduced the deficit for the visitors in the 66th minute but two goals from Moral and Barbara Latorre ended the contest.
Ajibade saw 66 minutes of action before she was replaced by Latorre after scoring her eighth goal of the league campaign.
Atletico Madrid occupy the fourth position with 49 points after 24 games as it continues to push for the final Champions League spot with seven points behind third-placed Levante UD.
After the international break, they will face unbeaten Asisat Oshoala’s Barcelona on April 15 at the Estadi Johan Cruyff.
