Super Eagles winger Salim Lawal made an instant statement on his return from the Africa Cup of Nations, scoring early for NK Istra 1961, but his goal was not enough to prevent defeat against HNK Rijeka in the Croatian First League on Tuesday night.
The Nigerian forward returned to club duty after helping the Super Eagles secure a bronze medal at the 2025 AFCON in Morocco, and he wasted no time reminding fans of his quality at the Stadion Aldo Drosina.
Salim Lawal scores early on AFCON return
Fresh from international duty, Lawal was handed a starting role, and he delivered almost immediately.
The 23-year-old found the net just five minutes into the contest, giving Istra a dream start.
The goal marked a smooth transition back to club football for the Super Eagles star, who saw limited action at AFCON 2025 but returned sharp and confident for his club side.
Salim Lawal shines again despite Istra setback
Lawal’s opener was short-lived, as Rijeka responded four minutes later through Luka Menalo to level the score.
The winger continued to trouble the visitors before being withdrawn after 58 minutes, making way for Vinko Rozić.
Seventeen minutes after Lawal left the pitch, Rijeka were awarded a penalty, which Tiago Dantas calmly converted to secure all three points for the visitors.
Despite the loss, Salim Lawal extended his fine run of form. He has now scored in back-to-back matches for Istra, following his goal in the emphatic 5–1 win over Osijek in his previous outing.
The Nigerian attacker has recorded nine goal contributions this season, with seven goals and two assists across all competitions.
In the Croatian First League, he has five goals and two assists from 19 appearances, alongside two goals in the Croatian Cup.
Istra remain fourth on the league table with 26 points, just one point behind Rijeka.