{"id":90384,"date":"2022-03-31T04:30:03","date_gmt":"2022-03-31T03:30:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/news\/millwall-striker-on-verge-of-milestone-as-he-remembers-first-pro-goal-and-discusses-run-in\/"},"modified":"2022-03-31T04:30:03","modified_gmt":"2022-03-31T03:30:03","slug":"millwall-striker-on-verge-of-milestone-as-he-remembers-first-pro-goal-and-discusses-run-in","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/sport\/football\/millwall\/in-depth\/millwall-striker-on-verge-of-milestone-as-he-remembers-first-pro-goal-and-discusses-run-in\/","title":{"rendered":"Millwall striker on verge of milestone &#8211; as he remembers first pro goal and discusses run-in"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>BENIK Afobe is out to join the One Hundred Club.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Afobe has scored 99 goals in professional football and could make it a century this weekend at Luton Town.<\/p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-tcf=\"waiting-for-consent\" data-id=\"69959\" data-bid=\"1\" data-placement=\"448384\" data-no-track=\"impressions\">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<\/script>\n<p>Millwall striker Afobe has scored 98 goals in club football and he has one in international football, for DR Congo in a 2\u20130 friendly win over Botswana in 2017.<\/p>\n<p>His first goals in professional football were for Huddersfield Town \u2013 where he was on loan from Arsenal \u2013 on November 9, 2010.<\/p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-tcf=\"waiting-for-consent\" data-id=\"68153\" data-bid=\"1\" data-placement=\"448385\" data-no-track=\"impressions\">PGRpdiBpZD0ic291dGgtMTAwMjc1NzIyMCIgY2xhc3M9InNvdXRoLWNvbnRlbnQgc291dGgtZW50aXR5LXBsYWNlbWVudCIgc3R5bGU9Im1hcmdpbi1sZWZ0OiBhdXRvO21hcmdpbi1yaWdodDogYXV0bzt0ZXh0LWFsaWduOiBjZW50ZXI7Ij48IS0tICAvMTU0NzI1MDcwLDIyNjk0MTk2OTY5L3NvdXRod2Fya25ld3Mvc291dGh3YXJrbmV3cyAtLT4NCjxkaXYgaWQ9ImRpdi1ncHQtYWQtMngxIj4NCjxzY3JpcHQ+DQpnb29nbGV0YWcuY21kLnB1c2goZnVuY3Rpb24oKSB7IGdvb2dsZXRhZy5kaXNwbGF5KCdkaXYtZ3B0LWFkLTJ4MScpOyB9KTsNCjwvc2NyaXB0Pg0KPC9kaXY+ICAgICAgICAgIDwvZGl2Pg==<\/script>\n<p>It was a Johnstone\u2019s Paint Trophy game at Rotherham United. Afobe, then 17 years of age, scored in the 28<sup>th<\/sup> and 72<sup>nd<\/sup> minutes in a 5-2 win for his side at the Don Valley Stadium.<\/p>\n<p>Afobe is on nine goals in 33 games for Millwall this season.<\/p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-tcf=\"waiting-for-consent\" data-id=\"71156\" data-bid=\"1\" data-placement=\"448386\" data-no-track=\"impressions\">PGRpdiBpZD0ic291dGgtMTg1NTEwODYyNSIgY2xhc3M9InNvdXRoLWluLWFydGljbGUtbXB1OSBzb3V0aC1lbnRpdHktcGxhY2VtZW50Ij48IS0tICAvMTU0NzI1MDcwLDIyNjk0MTk2OTY5L3NvdXRod2Fya25ld3Mvc291dGh3YXJrbmV3cyAtLT4NCjxkaXYgaWQ9ImRpdi1ncHQtYWQtbXB1OSI+DQo8c2NyaXB0Pg0KZ29vZ2xldGFnLmNtZC5wdXNoKGZ1bmN0aW9uKCkgeyBnb29nbGV0YWcuZGlzcGxheSgnZGl2LWdwdC1hZC1tcHU5Jyk7IH0pOw0KPC9zY3JpcHQ+DQo8L2Rpdj4gICAgIDwvZGl2Pg==<\/script>\n<p>\u201cFor me, the next one is important because the next one is going to be my 100th goal,\u201d Afobe said. \u201cI\u2019m sitting on 99 career goals, 98 eight club. It would be nice to get to that 100-mark.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen I started playing football, if you told me I would get to 100 professional goals, it seemed so far away.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA lot of things have happened, good and bad, and to finally achieve it would be a huge thing for my family and myself.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTo be honest, if I didn\u2019t score again this season and we got promoted, I\u2019d take that.\u201d<\/p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-tcf=\"waiting-for-consent\" data-id=\"71157\" data-bid=\"1\" data-placement=\"448387\" data-no-track=\"impressions\">PGRpdiBpZD0ic291dGgtMzIxMjc5NDg2NSIgY2xhc3M9InNvdXRoLWluLWFydGljbGUtbXB1LTEwIHNvdXRoLWVudGl0eS1wbGFjZW1lbnQiPjwhLS0gIC8xNTQ3MjUwNzAsMjI2OTQxOTY5Njkvc291dGh3YXJrbmV3cy9zb3V0aHdhcmtuZXdzIC0tPg0KPGRpdiBpZD0iZGl2LWdwdC1hZC1tcHUxMCI+DQo8c2NyaXB0Pg0KZ29vZ2xldGFnLmNtZC5wdXNoKGZ1bmN0aW9uKCkgeyBnb29nbGV0YWcuZGlzcGxheSgnZGl2LWdwdC1hZC1tcHUxMCcpOyB9KTsNCjwvc2NyaXB0Pg0KPC9kaXY+ICAgICA8L2Rpdj4=<\/script>\n<figure id=\"attachment_84128\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-84128\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-84128\" src=\"http:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/B-Afobe1-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"445\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-84128\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Benik Afobe is one goal away from 100<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Afobe remembers his first goal in professional football. It put the Terriers 3-1 up in that JPT game after a Jordan Rhodes double for Lee Clark\u2019s side.<\/p>\n<p>His father, Ange, was in the stand.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was a 17-year-old boy. I pointed to my dad in the crowd. I saw him, he was cold, he was wearing his jacket, it was a Tuesday night,\u201d Afobe said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was amazing. Rotherham don\u2019t have that stadium anymore so that\u2019s how long I\u2019ve been in football!<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was nice to finally achieve something like that because then you realise, yes I\u2019m here now, I\u2019m a professional footballer.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLong may it continue scoring goals.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTwelve years later I\u2019m here now. It\u2019s been one heck of a journey, for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Going for the play-offs is not a new experience for Afobe.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat season with Huddersfield in League One, we went 20-odd games unbeaten, we finished off strongly, and then we lost in the final against Peterborough,\u201d Afobe recalled.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat year the Champions League final was at Wembley so we had our final at Old Trafford.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve got experienced players and players who are taking it game by game, keeping the younger lads on their toes. The best thing about Millwall\u2019s changing room is that we\u2019re a hard-working group.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEveryone works for each other, there are no egos and everyone just wants to do their best for themselves and the team, which is something that is quite rare nowadays.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWherever we finish I would still say it\u2019s a successful season, because I\u2019ve come back here and I\u2019ve got friends for life here.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_83338\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-83338\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-83338\" src=\"http:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/B-Afobe-goal1-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"445\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-83338\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The forward is hugely popular with team-mates and fans<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The Lions are four points off sixth with eight games left. Expectations have changed with the play-offs now in sight.<\/p>\n<p>But Afobe is not bothered about pressure.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI feel the pressure every game because I\u2019m my biggest critic,\u201d Afobe said. \u201cSo even if we\u2019re playing against a Conference team in pre-season or it\u2019s the cup final, I always feel pressure. I\u2019m used to it and I think I play better under pressure.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI play better when the chips are down, sort of thing, or when something\u2019s going against me or the team, that\u2019s when I feel like I need to stand up and be counted and leave my mark on the game.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEvery game I put pressure on myself, so I don\u2019t think one game is bigger than the other. I focus and prepare for each game the same way.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI said it to my family, even when I spoke to the manager, we get on very well, I said to the manager after all the injuries we\u2019ve had this season if we were three or four points off the play-offs with eight games to go we would have taken that.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_82565\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-82565\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-82565\" src=\"http:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/B-Afobe-cele2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"445\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-82565\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Benik Afobe after equalising against Bournemouth<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Afobe couldn\u2019t help his team-mates last time out in the 2-0 defeat against his parent club, Stoke City.<\/p>\n<p>He scored both goals in the 2-0 win against Huddersfield in the previous game.<\/p>\n<p>Afobe said: \u201cBefore the season started I knew that we were going to play Stoke twice so I wouldn\u2019t be able to play twice. For me, it wasn\u2019t too difficult because I knew what it was.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI played well against Huddersfield. The team played well, it was probably one of our most complete performances collectively.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs a forward when you score you want the next game to be as soon as possible. It doesn\u2019t make a difference, I knew that was going to be the case.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s good that the eight games we\u2019ve got we\u2019re still playing for something. We\u2019re chasing something. If you\u2019re not playing for promotion or to avoid relegation you\u2019re sort of just playing to see the season out.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve got something to play for, which is always nice, and we want that to go on the whole way.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Image: Millwall FC<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>BENIK Afobe on the run-in: &#8216;I feel the pressure every game because I\u2019m my biggest critic.&#8217;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16625,"featured_media":75298,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"jnews_override_counter":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[15418],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-90384","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-in-depth"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90384","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16625"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=90384"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90384\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/75298"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=90384"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=90384"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=90384"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}