By Samuel Ahmadu
Nigeria forward Chiamaka Okwuchukwu announced her arrival in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in stunning fashion, scoring just 1 minute and 48 seconds after coming on as a substitute for San Diego Wave against Orlando Pride.
Her strike in less than two-minute marked the second-fastest goal by a player in their regular-season debut in NWSL history, behind only Ebony Salmon’s 55-second record set in 2021.
Okwuchukwu, who joined San Diego Wave from Rivers Angels in 2024 after impressing in the 2024 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica, has been regarded as one of Nigeria’s brightest attacking talents.
Before making the switch to the NWSL, she enjoyed a breakout campaign with the Falconets, where she inspired the West Africans to the quarterfinals and made the finalist of the CAF Women’s Young Player of the Year 2024.
The 21-year-old’s rapid adaptation to the American league highlights her potential as a key offensive asset for San Diego.
With her sharp movement and finishing ability, Okwuchukwu is set to be a major influence as the Wave chase success in the 2024 NWSL season.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
