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West Bromwich Albion of England defender, Semi Ajayi emerged the better Nigerian player on the pitch, despite Marvin Ekpiteta getting a goal for Blackpool, megasportsarena.com reports.
Ajayi and Ekpiteta were both on from the start for the respective clubs in their English Championship clash at The Hawthorns, where WBA made the best of home advantage to pull off a sensational victory.
Ekpiteta’s amazing finish turned out to be insufficient for the visitors, as a stoppage-time winner from Karlan Grant saw WBA keep their faint play-off hopes alive with a 2-1 win at home to Blackpool.
The former Huddersfield forward fired home deep into added time to give Steve Bruce only his fourth win as Baggies boss since replacing the sacked Valerien Ismael in February.
In what overall was a game lacking in quality, Andy Carroll gave West Brom a first-half lead before Ekpiteta levelled for Blackpool after the restart.
There were bolts of excitement though in the 42nd minute, as Ajayi sent a long diagonal ball forward that Andy Carroll intelligently flicked into the path of Adam Reach. He whipped in a dangerous cross that the former Newcastle striker diverted in with his knee from close range.
Blackpool got themselves on terms in the 53rd minute. After Dara O’Shea gave away a free-kick on the edge of the box, Kenny Dougall whipped in a dangerous cross which Albion failed to clear and Ekpiteta smashed the ball home from just outside the six-yard box.
West Brom almost got themselves back in front the 75th minute when substitute Taylor Gardner-Hickman let fly with a ferocious strike from 25 yards that beat Maxwell but rattled the crossbar.
Blackpool finally forced Button into a save in the 78th minute when Josh Bowler carried the ball past Matt Clarke and into the box, but his effort was easily claimed by the keeper.
In the 93rd minute, though, The Baggies got their winning goal when they sent in a corner that Carroll powerfully struck towards goal.
James Husband made a brilliant block just in front of the goal-line but it fell for Grant who made no mistake from just inside the six-yard box.
Dramatically, Grant went on to win it with virtually the last kick of the game, rendering Ekpiteta’s goal ineffective and moved Ajayi’s side within five points of the promotion play-offs.
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