By Wale Mustapha
Nigerian forward Rinsola Babajide opened her Serie A goal account for AS Roma Women on Sunday, helping the champions cruise to a commanding 3-0 victory over Sassuolo.
Babajide, who joined the Giallorosse this summer on a free transfer, has been tipped to make a major impact in Italy — and it took her just three league outings to deliver.
The 26-year-old broke the deadlock in the 21st minute, racing into the box to slot home a precise cross from captain Giada Greggi. Greggi then doubled Roma’s lead with a well-taken finish in first-half stoppage time, putting the hosts firmly in control at the break.
Sassuolo attempted to mount a second-half comeback, but Roma’s backline — marshalled by their experienced defenders — stood resolute. Substitute Alayah Pilgrim put the result beyond doubt in the 88th minute with a close-range tap-in to seal the emphatic win.
Babajide, who featured only in the first half, left her mark with a lively performance that underlined her potential to become a key figure for Alessandro Spugna’s side this season.
The result preserves Roma’s 100 percent start to the campaign, with three wins from three, keeping them top of Group C.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey 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.
