Josh Maja made history as the second youngest player at 22 years and 49 days to score on his first Premier League start when he fired Fulham infront at Goodison Park in their entertaining clash with their host, Everton.
The youngest player to score on his league debut is John Collins who, like Maja scored a brace on his Fulham debut in April 2004 at 18 years and 178 days. Fulham however lost the game played on Monday April 12,2004 to visiting Blackburn Rovers despite Collins scoring two first half goals to give the Cottagers a 2-1 first half lead.
Maja was secured on loan on transfer deadline day by gaffer, Scott Parker who was in desperate need of a natural goal poacher in his bid to ensure the Cottagers do not return to the Skybet Championship immediately after gaining promotion last season.
The Londoner was actually at Fulham as a kid but made his first-team breakthrough at Sunderland in the Championship and League One.
He then went to France where he has spent a couple of years with Bordeaux before coming to Fulham on loan.
The former Sunderland player’s goal was however made in Nigeria as Ola Aina plays a one-two with Ademola Lookman and puts a perfect ball across the six-yard box which Maja was able to slide into an empty net.
The previous Premier League goal scored and assisted by players representing Nigeria was on 17 April 2010, when Yakubu scored for Everton from a Victor Anichebe ball in a 3-2 win over Blackburn.
Maja doubled Fulham’s lead on 65 minutes- with his second close-range finish of the night.
Harrison Reed blasts a shot in from outside the box. It beats Robin Olsen but hits the post, with the rebound landing to Maja to tap home from six yards.
The goal was also historic as he made the Bordeaux loanee the second Nigerian player to score a double on his first Premier League start, after Efan Ekoku for Norwich City on 8 May 1993.