WATCH: Super Eagles boss Chelle REJECTED him, then Arokodare did this against Arsenal

The Emirates Stadium witnessed more than just a football match between Premier League leaders Arsenal and Wolves on Saturday evening. 

It became the stage for one man's redemption story, a tale of resilience, determination, and the burning desire to prove everyone wrong.

Tolu Arokodare's omission from the Super Eagles AFCON 2025 squad by head coach Eric Chelle had been a source of quiet controversy among Nigerian football fans. 

The former KRC Genk striker, who had been in impressive form in Belgium before his January move to Wolverhampton Wanderers, found himself overlooked for international duty despite his credentials.

For many players, such rejection might have been demoralising. For Arokodare, it became fuel. When Arsenal hosted Wolves on this crucial evening, few expected the visitors to pose much of a threat. 

The Premier League leaders, chasing their first title in years under Mikel Arteta, were heavy favourites against a Wolves side battling at the wrong end of the table.

But Rob Edwards' men had other ideas.

From the opening whistle, Arsenal found themselves frustrated by a resilient Wolves defense that seemed determined to spoil the party. 

Wave after wave of attacks crashed against a well-organised backline, with the Gunners unable to find their usual fluency.

The breakthrough finally came in the 70th minute, but it was far from the clinical finish Arsenal fans had hoped for. A fortunate deflection off Wolves goalkeeper Sam Johnstone sent the ball trickling over the line, giving the home side a slender advantage.

Nevertheless, the Emirates breathed a collective sigh of relief. But the drama was far from over.

As the clock ticked into the final minutes of regulation time, Wolves made a crucial substitution. Arokodare was introduced, and what followed was the stuff of Hollywood scripts.

In the 90th minute, with Arsenal fans already celebrating what they thought was a hard-fought victory, Arokodare struck. His first Premier League goal couldn't have been more perfectly timed or more significant.

The Nigerian forward, playing with a point to prove, latched onto an opportunity and buried it past David Raya with a clever flick header. The away section erupted. The Emirates fell silent.

For Arokodare, this wasn't just a goal, it was a statement. A message sent directly to Eric Chelle and anyone who doubted his quality. On one of English football's biggest stages, against the league leaders, he had delivered when it mattered most.

The story would have ended perfectly there, with Arokodare as the hero who silenced the Emirates and earned his team a valuable point. But football has a cruel sense of timing.

Just minutes after Arokodare's equaliser, Arsenal won the match through another own goal. A cross from Bukayo Saka was inadvertently turned into his own net by Wolves defender Yerson Mosquera, breaking Wolves hearts and securing three crucial points for Arsenal's title charge.

While the final scoreline may have gone against Wolves, Arokodare's performance transcended the result. His goal against one of Europe's elite clubs, in front of 60,000 fans, on one of the Premier League's grandest stages, spoke volumes about his character and quality.

This was a player who could have sulked about being overlooked by his national team. Instead, he used that disappointment as motivation, channeling every ounce of frustration into his performance.

As Arokodare left the Emirates that night, he may not have been on the winning side, but he had won something perhaps more important, respect. He had shown Super Eagles boss Eric Chelle and the watching world exactly what he's capable of.

His journey from international rejection to Premier League glory (even in defeat) is a reminder that setbacks can be setups for comebacks. In the pressure cooker of elite football, when it would have been easy to let doubt creep in, Arokodare chose defiance.