Nigerian midfield sensation Daniel Daga made a dream start to life in Europe, playing his part in Molde’s dramatic UEFA Conference League victory over Shamrock Rovers on Thursday.
The 2023 FIFA U20 World Cup standout, who joined the Norwegian side from FC One Rocket in January, had to wait for his moment. Named in the squad for the first leg of the knockout playoff, he remained an unused substitute. But in the second leg, fate called his name.
Daga was subbed on in the first half of extra time after Markus André Kaasa picked up an injury, marking his official debut for Molde. The match had already taken a tense turn, with Magnus Wolff Eikrem’s early strike leveling the tie and pushing it to extra time—and eventually, a nerve-wracking penalty shootout.
Showing confidence beyond his years, Daga stepped up and coolly converted his spot-kick as Molde players flawlessly dispatched their penalties. Meanwhile, Shamrock Rovers’ Aaron Greene saw his effort denied by Molde’s goalkeeper Jacob Karlstrøm, sealing the Norwegian club’s passage to the last 16.
Interestingly, Shamrock Rovers featured three players of Nigerian descent—Todd Bazunu, Goodness Ogbona, and Charles Akinrintoyo—highlighting Nigeria’s growing influence in European football.
With his European debut now in the books, Daga’s next target is his Norwegian league debut when Molde faces Sarpsborg 08 on March 30. If this first appearance is anything to go by, the young Nigerian midfielder is set for an exciting journey ahead!
