Nigerian international Gift Monday found the net for UD Tenerife on Saturday afternoon, but her effort was not enough to prevent a 6-2 thrashing by Barcelona in the Copa de la Reina Round of 16.
This marked a personal milestone for Monday, as she scored her first-ever goal against the Spanish giants since joining Tenerife from Nigerian club FC Robo Queens in September 2022.
The Super Falcons forward had previously faced Barcelona five times without finding the back of the net, while her side endured five consecutive losses.
Monday breaks her duck against Barcelona
Despite the daunting task of facing Barcelona, Monday finally broke her drought against the reigning Copa de la Reina champions.
In the 41st minute, with Tenerife trailing 2-0, the Akwa Ibom-born attacker capitalized on a pinpoint long pass from teammate Pisco. Outpacing Barcelona defender Irene Paredes, Monday showed composure to slot past goalkeeper Cata Coll, cutting the deficit in half.
Her strike energized the home side, and just before halftime, Polish international Aleksandra Zaremba equalized for Tenerife, sending the teams into the break at 2-2.
However, the second half belonged entirely to Barcelona, as the Catalan side regained control and ruthlessly dismantled Tenerife with four unanswered goals. The reigning champions booked their place in the quarterfinals, leaving Tenerife to focus on their league campaign.
Monday’s performance in numbers
While Tenerife’s Copa de la Reina journey ended in disappointment, Monday’s individual performance stood out.
Her goal on Saturday was her second in two games in the competition, raising her tally to three goals in six appearances across all competitions this season.
In the league, the 23-year-old forward has been equally influential, netting four goals in 11 matches. Her contributions have been pivotal to Tenerife’s respectable seventh-place position in the Primera División Femenina standings.
