Rio 2016 hero Sadiq hits brace in big Almeria Copa win

NIGERIAN striker Umar Sadiq continued his superb scoring form in Spain on Saturday, bagging a brace in Almeria’s 5-0 Copa del Rey win over Deportivo  Alaves.

The 2016 Olympics hero had recorded a hat-trick in his penultimate match against Ponferradina, giving him an impressive return of five goals in two matches.

Sadiq opened the scoring after just eight minutes and made it 3-0 on the stroke of half-time.

Ager Aketxe, Ridrigo Battaglia (own goal) and Juan Villar scored in second-tier Almeria’s big win over the LaLiga side.

Sadiq has been one of Almeria’s top players this season as they push for a return to LaLiga.

The lanky striker, who scored four goals to propel Nigeria’s team to the men’s football bronze medal in the 2016 Olympics in Brazil, has scored 11 goals and made three assists in 19 appearances in all competitions for Almeria, who he joined from Partizan Belgrade in October.

Sadiq is only 23 but has had quite a tour of Europe, playing for Spezia, AS Roma, Torino in Italy, as well as NAC Breda in the Netherlands, Rangers in Scotland and Partizan Belgrade in Serbia before his latest move.

His contract with Almeria is until June 2025.

Almeria are third in LaLiga 2 with 41 points in 20 matches, four points behind leaders Espanyol who have played one game more.