By Dayo Awoniyi
Nigerian teenage sensation Ukaki Ehije came to the rescue for Botev Plovdiv on Saturday, scoring a clutch equalizer in a 1-1 draw against Lokomotiv Sofia in the Bulgarian First League.
Playing away at the Lokomotiv Stadium in Sofia, Botev fell behind in the 34th minute after a defensive error allowed the hosts to seize the advantage. However, the visitors emerged stronger in the second half, with 18-year-old Ehije stepping up once again in a big moment.
The Nigerian forward, already earning plaudits for his maturity and technical ability, found the back of the net in the 57th minute. After a slick midfield build-up, Ehije calmly finished from the edge of the box to silence the home supporters and secure a point for his side.
“It felt amazing to score again,” Ehije said post-match. “I’m just focused on helping the team, and when the chance came, I took it. We wanted all three points, but we’ll take the draw and keep pushing.”
Botev head coach Dusan Kerkez lauded the young striker’s growing influence: “Ukaki is a special talent. He’s working hard, listening, and stepping up in big moments. We believe in his potential.”
The result keeps Botev Plovdiv in the top half of the table as they push for European qualification, while Lokomotiv Sofia continue to hover near the relegation zone.
Ehije’s rise has been a bright spot for Botev this season, with fans and pundits alike tipping him as one of the league’s most exciting young imports.

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.