For the second week in a row Henok Goitom scores in the Spanish La Liga. This time around his team 8th place Real Valladolid was taking Osasuna in 20th and last place in the very tough Spanish premier league. Valladolid was playing away where they lost almost 80% of their games at an opponents home field. At stake was a loss to the worst team in the league and an embarrassment and it looked pretty bad for the purple Valladollid as they were trailing 3-0 until the 59th minute of the game. Mean while Henok Goitom did not start the game but came in in the 35th minute as a substitute and 24 minutes after he got in and his team on the brink of embarrassment he scores a beautiful header to make the score 3-1 and give hope to his side.
Also playing on Real Valladolid along side Henok is another African Bartholomew Ogbeche who was signed along with Henok this past year. The Nigerian international who played for the Green Eagles was substituted as well in the 77th minute of the game, but right before that in the 65th minute an own goal by Osasuna created in the box not very far from where Henok was made the game 3-2.
Bartholomew Ogbeche then added the last goal in the 86th minute to give his team a tie which also helped it earn a point and still in the top 10 of La Liga. It also saved Valladolid an embarrassment as the young Africans showed why they have become a great addition to their team in Spain. Good work by both youngsters as they continue to show that if given a chance they will be among the up and coming stars of European soccer.
Congratulations to Henok and his team even though a win would have been sweeter.
Here is the link of the high lite video.
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Mike Seium for Eri-internatonal sports.
A soccer academy is well needed to nurture the many great talents that come out of Eritrea. I also strongly believe that any Eritrean national be it in the diaspora or from within the nation should be given a mechanism to be able to try out for the national team. As a matter of fact a foreign office that can accommodate that within the Eritrean sports/Soccer federation should be created. I personally believe that some players from Team Norway this past year at the Eritrean sports festival in North America as well as many others including players who play in different universities and colleges as well as from other parts of the world should be worthy of looking at. First it makes the competition better and the players who truly are skilled will be able to prove their ability.
As reported last month the Red Sea boys got a forfeit win against Democratic Republic of Congo after getting a first round bye because of being one of the top 8 teams to make it to Togo 2007 two years ago.
Meanwhile Cameroon's young Lions defeated Gabon to get a chance to play Eritrea. According to the coaches mentioned above the two players on Eritrea's young squad that have been shining are Asmara 
There may be many outstanding Eritrean soccer players participating at the University and college levels, semi-pro and even professionals such as Henok Goitom who plays in the Spanish first division however the story that is about to be unfolded will focus on the success of Eritreans throughout the USA that have contributed to the growth of the college and proffesional game at every level. There are plenty of people who may not know that the college game in the US has produced some top notch Eritrean soccer players and exemplary citizens. It is also slowly becoming a farm system that helps the United States national team to become a contender in the international game. 
