Ejuke’s winner earns Sevilla boss new contract

Chidera Ejuke’s late winner on match day 7 of their Spanish League has considerably earned Francisco Pimienta a new contract after the club president Jose Carrasco announced an extended two-year deal with the manager, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Ejuke opened his La Liga goal account on Tuesday with an 85th-minute match-winner in their 2-1 victory over Real Valladolid at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium.

The Nigerian came on as a second-half substitute for captain Jesus Navas and made his presence count in the closing stages of the game with a smart finish.

The 26-year-old pounced on a loose Valladolid pass and dragged three defenders across the face of goal before directing his precise strike into the bottom corner for his first goal for the club.

Ejuke’s first goal in his sixth appearance for Sevilla was enough to convince Carrasco to have faith in Pimienta, thus handing the new manager an extended contract.

It’s not been an easy start to Pimienta’s tenure as Sevilla’s head coach, and early pressure has been placed upon his shoulders after multiple poor results.

After winning just one out of their previous six games, the pressure was beginning to mount on the former Las Palmas coach and it looked like he could be the first manager in the Primera Division to get axed.

However, after their back-to-back home victories, the latest of which Ejuke scored the winner, the fear of losing his job has been quenched and Pimienta will have Ejuke to thank for that.

Immediately after the full-time whistle at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan, Carrasco while addressing the players in the dressing room made the shock announcement that they have opted to extend Pimienta’s contract by an extra two years.

“It was a good game today and I am happy with the result. We had a difficult start to the season but we believe in this project and that is why we are offering the coach an extended two-year deal,” the boss said.

Pimienta only signed from Las Palmas in the summer on a two-year deal, and given that Sevilla have had several managers in the last few years, it was even a risk to have him on that long of a contract.

Sevilla are currently 12th with eight points after seven matches.