Super Eagles forward Nathan Tella has won Bayer Leverkusen’s January Goal of the Month award for his stunning strike in the team’s 3-2 victory over Borussia Dortmund.
Tella’s first Bundesliga goal of the season was a masterclass in precision and technique. Early in the match, he latched onto a header from Robert Andrich just outside the box, before unleashing a brilliant first-time volley that flew into the net, leaving the Dortmund defense in awe.
The spectacular goal sparked a flurry of action for Leverkusen, with Patrick Schick doubling the lead shortly after. Dortmund responded quickly, with Jamie Bynoe-Gittens pulling one back within the first 15 minutes. Schick’s second goal restored Leverkusen’s advantage, and although Serhou Guirassy netted a late goal for Dortmund, it wasn’t enough to prevent a thrilling defeat.
The win stretched Bayer Leverkusen’s remarkable winning streak to nine games in all competitions, a run that eventually ended with a 2-1 loss to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.
Since scoring against Dortmund, Tella has not netted in the Bundesliga and he will hope to rediscover his scoring boots when Leverkusen host Bayern Munich in a must-win game for their title aspirations this weekend.
Tella has already proven himself to be a thorn in Bayern Munich’s side this season, scoring the decisive goal that eliminated them from the DFB Pokal. As such, Xabi Alonso may be counting on Tella to deliver again in a high-stakes match, leveraging his ability to rise to the occasion and score crucial goals in big games.
Winning the January goal of the month award is likely to give Tella a significant confidence boost, which he’ll aim to capitalize on as Bayer Leverkusen seek to win titles, push to retain their Bundesliga crown and make a strong Champions League run.
