According to a report by Daily Post on Friday October 23, 2026, Ajax coach Míchel Sánchez has praised Super Eagles forward Tolu Arokodare after the Nigerian striker scored in his side’s 2-0 victory over Atalanta in the UEFA Conference League on Thursday.

Arokodare came off the bench in the 66th minute at the Johan Cruyff Arena and broke the deadlock in the 87th minute, controlling a long pass from Youri Baas before calmly finishing past Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi.

Abdellah Ouazane added a second goal in stoppage time to secure all three points for Ajax.

Speaking after the match, Sánchez explained that he introduced Arokodare to increase his team's attacking threat inside the penalty area, and the striker rewarded his manager's decision with a crucial late goal.

“I brought him on to create more threat in the penalty area. Sometimes you make substitutions and they don't work out well, but the return of the players who came off the bench brought about the improvement for me,” Sánchez said, as quoted by ESPN.

The Ajax coach also spoke highly of his relationship with the Nigerian international, describing him as a special player while praising the commitment of the entire squad.

“I have a great relationship with all the players. Tolu is a special player, as I have already said, and I have a very good relationship with him. But also with the rest of the team,” he said.

Sánchez added that the hard work and dedication of his players had made his job easier, despite the challenges that sometimes come with managing a team.

“I am lucky to have a team that works very hard day in and day out. Managing these kinds of players is sometimes not easy, but they help enormously. They make my job much easier,” he added.

Arokodare's goal against Atalanta took his tally for Ajax to seven goals across all competitions this season, including three in the UEFA Conference League and four in the Eredivisie.

The victory also marked Ajax's first three points in the Conference League league phase after they lost their opening match against Hajduk Split.

The Nigerian forward will hope to maintain his scoring form and continue making important contributions as Ajax pursue success in domestic and European competitions.