Moffi scores first Hamburg goal on injury return

Super Eagles striker Terem Moffi scored his first Bundesliga goal for Hamburg SV on Saturday, heading home an 83rd-minute equaliser on his return from injury to help his side beat Hoffenheim 3-2, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Introduced as a substitute, the 27-year-old connected with a cross from Miro Muheim to bring Hamburg level at 2-2 before the visitors struck again to complete a dramatic comeback and secure all three points.

Moffi’s goal marked an important milestone after fitness problems disrupted the early stages of his Hamburg career, limiting his opportunities to establish himself in the German top flight.

Hamburg head coach Merlin Polzin had confirmed before the match that Moffi and fellow forward Yussuf Poulsen were available for selection after returning to full training.

“Both have trained fully with the team today, and are definitely options for the squad,” Polzin said at his pre-match press conference, according to Kicker.

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Moffi had made a brief appearance in Hamburg’s previous league match, a 2-1 victory over FC Köln, as he continued his return to full fitness. However, he had yet to score since joining the German club from French side Nice earlier in the summer.

The Nigerian reportedly moved to Hamburg in a deal worth around €2.5m, seeking a fresh start after his relationship with Nice deteriorated following an initially promising spell.

His preparations for the campaign were disrupted by fitness problems. He missed pre-season after arriving close to the start of the season and subsequently sat out a friendly against Copenhagen during the international break because of an injury.

The setback also ruled him out of Nigeria’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau, further limiting his opportunities to build match fitness.

His breakthrough against Hoffenheim offers an encouraging start as he seeks to secure a regular role in Polzin’s attack and make a greater contribution to Hamburg’s Bundesliga campaign.

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