Ashleigh Plumptre made a sensational return to the pitch, showing off an extraordinary performance with a four-goal contribution for Al Ittihad in the SAFF Women’s Cup.
The Super Falcons defender, who had been sidelined for six months due to foot surgery, marked her comeback with an impressive contribution, leading her team to one of the most commanding victories of the competition.
In the round of 16 clash against Jeddah, Plumptre played a vital role as Al Ittihad trounced their opponents 13-1.
She not only scored a vital goal but also provided three assists, leading her team to a huge away win.
Al Ittihad's SAFF Women's Cup rout sets stage for Plumptre's return
Just 15 minutes into the game, the 26-year-old Nigerian international netted the fifth goal, giving the away fans something more to be excited for.
The scoring began with Seba Tawfiq, followed by Lili Iskandar doubling the lead.
Leticia Nunes added a third, and Lana Abdulrazak struck the fourth before Plumptre's goal further widened the gap.
Nunes then completed her hat-trick within just seven minutes, contributing to a remarkable nine-goal advantage by halftime.
As the second half commenced, Ashleigh Plumptre and her teammates showed no signs of slowing down.
Lana Abdulrazak also secured her hat-trick, with additional goals from Raneem Al Sharif, Seba Tawfiq, and Fatimah Mansour further dismantling Jeddah’s defence.
Despite Jeddah managing to score once, it did little to alleviate the humiliation of their defeat.
This match followed a narrow 1-0 victory over Al-Ula in the Saudi Women’s Premier League, where Plumptre had made a brief three-minute appearance as a substitute.
Recall that in her debut season, Plumptre lit up the Saudi Arabia women's league by delivering eight goals in just 12 matches.
She has now propelled her team into the quarterfinals of the second edition of the Saudi Arabia Women’s cup