Nigeria Players Abroad
Rafiat Sule’s heroics propel Lumezanne to Copa Italia victory
By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde
Lumezanne clinched the Copa Italia title with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Riccione at the Stadio ‘Gino Bozzi’ Di Frenze, thanks to a standout performance by Nigerian forward Rafiat Sule.
Sule scored her team’s crucial second goal early in the second half on Sunday, helping Lumezanne overturn an early deficit. This victory marks Lumezanne’s second title of the season, following their triumph as Serie C champions, which secured their promotion to Serie B for the next season.
Having joined Lumezanne from Vincenza, where she netted 23 goals and provided 7 assists, Sule quickly established herself as a key player for her new club. Her contributions this season have been immense, finishing as Lumezanne’s top scorer with 21 goals—18 in the league and 3 in the Copa Italia.
“It has been a great season, for which I am very grateful,” Sule said after the match. “The team worked so hard for the success we recorded this season. It wasn’t easy, but we kept going. We are ready for a great time in Serie B next season.”
She also praised her teammates, management, technical team, backroom staff, and fans for their collective effort and support throughout the season. “My teammates were fantastic, so were the Management, technical team, the backroom staff, and also the fans. We will continue to wax stronger,” she concluded.
Sule has also made her mark on the international stage, representing Nigeria at both U-17 and senior levels, scoring three goals in five appearances for the Super Falcons.
