CSKA Moscow striker Chidera Ejuke has ended a run of 20 matches without a goal with a wonder strike in Monday’s 2-0 defeat of FC Rotor Volgograd in a Russian Premier League encounter.
The Nigeria international was yet to find the net under Ivica Olic’s tutelage in what is his first campaign at VEB Arena.
But in the 45th minute, Ejuke broke the deadlock with a long-range beauty after latching onto Arnor Sigurdsson’s pass from outside the goal area.
Goalkeeper Josip Condric moved towards the ball’s direction but was unable to prevent the 23-year-old from ending a six-month wait for a goal, which gave the Horses a slim advantage going into the half-time break.
The drought dated back to the 3-1 over Dinamo Moscow on October 18, 2020, when the one-cap Super Eagle scored his side’s second goal while Viktor Goncharenko was in charge.
In the second half of the keenly contested affair, the visitors put up a good fight in their quest to level matters.
Nonetheless, it was the hosts who doubled their advantage in the 70th minute courtesy of Jose Salomon Rondon.
The 31-year-old Venezuela international – who is on loan from Chinese Super League outfit Dalian Professional – rolled the ball past Condric after receiving a cross from Nayair Tiknizyan.
Despite a late rally from Yuri Baturenko's Blue-cyan, they were unable to avoid their 15th defeat of the 2020-21 campaign.
After an impressive shift, Ejuke was replaced in the 88th minute by Vladislav Yakovlev. The African star has now scored three league goals from 20 outings so far in the current season.
Thanks to his impressive performance during his two-year spell at Eredivisie side Heerenveen, he joined the Russian side on August 28, 2020, for an undisclosed fee on a four-year contract.
On the other side, former Cote d’Ivoire youth international Cedric Gogoua marshalled the Volgograd-based outfit's backline from start to finish.
With this result, CSKA Moscow climbed to the fourth spot on the Russian elite division log after amassing 46 points from 25 outings.
They will continue their push for their 14th league diadem when they travel to the Fisht Olympic Stadium on April 18 for a date with Vladimir Fedotov's PFC Sochi.
