Izuchukwu OkosiWest Ham’s Jarrod Bowen scored a dramatic winner in the 90th minute to give his side a 2-1 victory against Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final on Wednesday.
The win ended the Hammers’ 43-year wait since they last lifted a major trophy, the FA Cup in 1980. And it is 58 years since they last clinched a European trophy when the great Bobby Moore captained them to glory in the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1965.
After Said Benrahma scored a penalty, Fiorentina equalised just four minutes later through Giacomo Bonaventura, only for former Hull striker Bowen broke through in the 90th minute to fire home.
Bowen told BT Sport: “You always say you want to score in the last minute and to do it here in front of these fans, I thought I was going to cry.
“I’m so happy. We haven’t had the best season, myself included, but to do it tonight. I’m over the moon.
“I think in my position you make that run 10 times you might get that ball once. As soon as you get it you’ve got to put it away
Never [have I felt like this in my life]. This is the biggest game of my career. The emotion, there was time for one more chance. I’m just so happy. I’m over the moon.
“I’m thinking of the party tonight. Listen to it. Listen.”
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
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