'Billy The Goat Is Still Haunting Me' - Super Eagles Striker Explains Story Behind Infamous Goal Celebration

Published on: 14 December 2019

   

Anthony Ujah has explained the story behind his infamous goal celebration during Cologne's 4-2 win over Eintracht Frankfurt in a German Bundesliga clash at the Rhein Energie Stadium on March 8 , 2015.

The Nigeria international, who scored Cologne's fourth goal eight minutes from time, celebrated by running to the touchline and grabbing the Cologne mascot Hennes by the horns for a few seconds.

Animal rights activists and Cologne fans were furious over Ujah's inappropriate goal celebration and he had to tender an apology after the game.

Speaking to a source on Saturday via Skype, Ujah explained : ''Billy the goat? It is still haunting me until now, it is still following me.

''There is nowhere I go..., in Union Berlin here everybody wants to know what happened - even the coach, the President - it is something I cannot run away from and even in the next 30 years I know that thing will keep on following me everywhere because that thing really went viral.''

Asked why he celebrated his goal in that way, the former Lillestrom star answered : ''It was spontaneous, as a striker sometimes when you score an unbelievable goal or unexpected goal, you celebrate in a way that you don't really plan, you don't really expect.

''I scored quite late in the game, I did everything I could to score in that game, I was hitting the crossbar, the goalkeeper was really good but we were winning 2-1 and then I scored.

''That feeling, I was just running and then I ended up close to Billy.''

Ujah did not last long at Cologne after his controversial goal celebration as he agreed a transfer to Bundesliga rivals Werder Bremen less than two months after the incident.

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