Michael Obafemi could hardly have chosen a more opportune time to get off the mark for Burnley, scoring his first goal for the club in the 95th minute on Tuesday night to snatch a 1-1 draw against Watford.
With Burnley top of the Championship and chasing a return to the Premier League, Obafemi's goal could prove crucial, and he was understandably ecstatic with his first strike for the Clarets.
Speaking after the game, his manager Vincent Kompany was similarly thrilled, praising Obafemi and his team for their determination to earn a point. He said he did not "underestimate" the importance of Obafemi's goal, and hinted he believed the Irishman had something special.
Vincent Kompany "grateful" for Michael Obafemi's first Burnley goal
It wasn't pretty, but Michael Obafemi's 95th minute equaliser for Burnley on Tuesday night was some way for the Dublin-born striker to grab his first goal for the club.
"THEY JUST DO NOT ACCEPT DEFEAT!"
SCENES at Turf Moor as Michael Obafemi scores an equaliser with the last kick of the game! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/9oYCg0IpW2— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) February 14, 2023
Having finally completed a long-rumoured move to Burnley in January, the 22-year-old has proven his worth to his new teammates quickly, keeping them top of the Championship with his late strike against Watford.
Former Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany is the manager at Burnley, and in his post-match interview he praised the "belief" of Obafemi, and his ability to pop up in the right place at the right time:
You do know these players when they come on the scene they’ve got a belief that something will land for them.
It's not the pretty goals that matter in this case, it’s the type of goals he’s scored. It's another player on the scoresheet and and extremely important point.
I don’t think we can underestimate how important this point is, we're very grateful for it.
After the match, Obafemi also spoke to Sky Sports, and said he was grateful to have gotten on the scoresheet for his new team.
A first Burnley goal for Michael Obafemi! ⚽ pic.twitter.com/Rs9Mzb4Bd3
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) February 14, 2023
Obafemi said that he was especially happy to finish with a goal, after initially struggling on the ball when he came off the bench:
I'm delighted for my first goal. The main thing is that we didn't lose the game - we fought back and it's a very valuable point in the great season that we're having.
Delighted I got the goal. Wasn't the best day on the ball, but got my first goal which I'm happy about. Looking forward to building on that.
I knew it wasn't gonna be easy [fighting for his place in the team] - but I'm relishing every minute of it and looking forward to kicking on.
The Irish international's joking look to the camera as his interview ended summed up how much he is enjoying his football at the minute, in news which will be music to the ears of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny.
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