Super Eagles star takes one step closer to La Liga

La Union continued their match towards qualification to the Spanish Primera Division after another solid display from their Nigerian import

Another brilliant performance by Super Eagles striker Umar Sadiq inspired Almeria to a 2-0 victory at Xabi Alonso’s Real Sociedad B in a Segunda Division matchday 40 clash.

A difficult encounter was expected for Almeria at the Reale Arena in Donostia-San Sebastián, with Liverpool great Xabi Alonso having led the home side to three victories on the bounce. That fine run included two consecutive away wins at Real Real Valladolid and Fuenlabrada.

But Almeria were on a three-game winning streak of their own and made short work of the relegation strugglers courtesy of goals from Rodrigo Ely and José Carlos Lazo on either side of the halftime break.

Nigeria’s Umar Sadiq increased his assist tally to 11 this term after setting up Carlos Lazo’s 68th-minute goal that doubled La Union’s lead. Sadiq remains Almeria’s leading goalscorer with 17 goals from 33 matches.

With the win, Almeria are guaranteed to stay top of the league after this weekend’s round of matches, having established a five-point lead over second-place Eibar.

Head coach Rubi’s men will seal automatic qualification to La Liga if they win their next match at home to already-relegated Alcorcon.

With their destiny right in their hands, Sadiq and his teammates will lift the Segunda Division title with a victory in each of their last two remaining matches.

It would be the first league triumph of Sadiq’s career, with the 25-year-old yet to experience such throughout his various spells with Roma, Rangers, Torino, Bologna, and even Partizan Belgrade.