Nigerian winger Soliu Afolabi enjoyed a dream start to the 2026/27 Czech First League season, making a game-changing impact off the bench to propel Slovan Liberec to an impressive 3-1 away victory over title contenders Viktoria Plzeň on Saturday evening.
Having endured a disappointing end to the previous campaign with five consecutive defeats, Liberec entered the Doosan Arena determined to turn the page.
The visitors broke the deadlock in the 27th minute when Lukáš Mašek’s powerful header from a corner kick panicked the host defense, forcing Plzeň winger Tomáš Ladra to turn the ball into his own net.
Viktoria Plzeň found a lifeline early in the second half following a controversial penalty decision. Defender Dávid Krčík stepped up in the 51st minute and coolly converted from 12 yards to level the score.
Undeterred by the equaliser, Liberec pushed forward and brought on 20-year-old Afolabi in the 62nd minute to replace Petr Hodous.
The substitution paid off just 14 minutes later when Afolabi latched onto a sharp pass from Patrik Dulay and executed a calm finish to restore Liberec’s lead.
Dulay then put the match beyond reach deep in stoppage time, reacting quickest to score on a rebound after Raimonds Krollis’ initial shot was saved.
Liberec’s disciplined pressing and clinical counter-attacking proved too much for Plzeň, who dominated possession but struggled to create quality chances.
The fixture also marked the long-awaited return of Nigerian forward Salim Fago Lawal for Viktoria Plzeň.
Lawal, who had been sidelined since suffering a season-ending injury against Bohemians in March 2026, made his first appearance back on the pitch, offering a major fitness boost for Plzeň despite the home defeat.