Tolu Arokodare Struggles: Super Eagles star loses battle of giant new strikers in Wolves’ defeat to Newcastle

Super Eagles striker Tolu Arokodare endured a frustrating outing as Wolves fell 1-0 to Newcastle United in a tense Premier League clash that featured a showdown between two promising new forwards.

Both Arokodare and Newcastle’s Nick Woltemade were handed starts, marking their first significant appearances following their summer moves. The match, played at St. James’ Park on Saturday, provided a fierce platform for both strikers to stake their claim in the league.

However, it was Woltemade who emerged as the key figure, scoring the only goal of the game with a powerful header at the 30-minute mark. His finish came from a precise cross by Jacob Murphy, giving Newcastle a vital lead on his debut, which energised the home crowd.

Despite Wolves creating several chances in what proved to be an entertaining first half, they were unable to find the breakthrough.

Wolves goalkeeper Nick Pope was tested early on with key saves from Emmanuel Agbadou’s through pass to Rodrigo Gomes and a subsequent free-kick from Hwang Hee-chan. Still, it was Woltemade’s towering header that proved decisive.

Arokodare, who shone for the Nigerian national team during the recent international break by scoring for the Super Eagles, struggled to replicate that form on the club stage.

For 66 minutes on the pitch, he failed to register a single shot and had only two touches inside the Newcastle penalty area.

He completed five passes with 71% accuracy before being replaced by Jhon Arias as Wolves sought to turn the tide late in the game.

The defeat leaves Wolves still searching for their first win of the Premier League season and highlights the immediate impact Woltemade has made for Newcastle.

Meanwhile, Arokodare will be eager to bounce back and demonstrate why Wolves invested heavily in the Nigerian international during the summer transfer window.

With his talent and recent international form, expectations remain high that he can become a key player for Wolves in the coming weeks.