Tani Oluwaseyi scores 1st Villarreal CF goal in 2-1 win vs. Sevilla in La Liga action - ICYMI
Just days after getting his first assist for Villarreal CF in a dramatic late 2-1 win vs. CD Osasuna on Saturday, Tani Oluwaseyi opened his goalscoring account in his first start for the club on Tuesday.
Faced off against Sevilla in La Liga action, Oluwaseyi was tasked with leading the line from the start after making three previous appearances off the bench with his new club, and he made the most of his opportunity, scoring the first goal in another 2-1 win for Villarreal.
TAAAAANIIIIII OLUUUWAAASEEEYI ⌚#SevillaVillarreal | #LaLigaHighlights pic.twitter.com/Zy63YsrOoh
— Villarreal CF (@VillarrealCF) September 23, 2025
Thanks to that, Villarreal now sits tied for second in the La Liga table with Barcelona (who do have a game in hand), as they’ve done well to build off a strong end to the 2024-2025 campaign, where they finished fifth.
That good form continued in this game, as despite rotating their lineup for their fourth game in 11 days, they managed to secure a valuable road result.
Certainly, the busy schedule was beneficial to both Oluwaseyi and fellow CanMNT attacker Tajon Buchanan, as the pair started together for the first time after both joined the club this summer.
While Buchanan is already quite familiar with the Yellow Submarines, with this being his fifth start in seven games to start 2025-2026 after starting four times across 13 games while on loan at the end of 2024-2025, this first start was a big one for Oluwaseyi, who made a big jump when leaving Minnesota United in MLS to join Villarreal at the end of August.
After a scintillating 2025 season with Minnesota, which earned him this move, Oluwaseyi picked up where he left off in this game, however, and that’s great news for him, Villarreal and the CanMNT.
— ⚽️Live @CenterOfGoals ⚽️ (@LoveyRosia37722) September 23, 2025
In particular, the big thing that stood out is that while Oluwaseyi scored a goal, he was extremely lively up front, and he probably could’ve had a few more goals if not for a great save and a scuffed shot.
That’s shown in the fact that he had three shots worth 0.68 xG (per OPTA) in his 69 minutes on the pitch, with each of his attempts coming inside the box, which is the exact sort of real estate you want to see him generate opportunities from. 
Oluwaseyi's shot attempts from this game (FotMob)
Plus, on each attempt, he showed off different sides to his game, too, as he looked to translate his success from MLS to one of the top leagues in the world.
On his first shot attempt, he did well to dance into the box before firing a shot that was narrowly saved by Sevilla’s Odysseas Vlachodimos from a tight angle, before he made a great run to open up space for himself to slot home a first-timed right-footed finish for his goal on his second attempt. Then, on his third shot, he did well to play a 1-2 and run into the box to receive a dangerous pass, only missing out on his brace after getting under his shot and sending it over the crossbar.
Therefore, while it’s easy to suggest he could’ve perhaps had another goal or two on the day (OPTA rated both of his missed opportunities as ‘big chances’ by their methodology), he’ll be happy to have gotten one, which can only boost his confidence as he adapts to this level.
Speaking of this level, however, it’s worth noting that Oluwaseyi did show signs that he’s still adjusting to his surroundings - that he finished with just 27 touches and six completed passes stands out, although it’s important to point out that his side had just 34% of possession in this game. 
Oluwaseyi's touches (left) and heat map (right) from this game (WhoScored)
Further to that point, however, he also won just two out of seven of his aerial duels, and five out of 12 overall duels, as he struggled to impose himself physically as much as he’d have hoped.
Yet, what that shows is that Oluwaseyi is still going to have adjustments to make as he adapts to this level, but that’s there’s a lot to be encouraged about.
In particular, the big thing is that he had the chances to score, as that’s always the hardest thing for a striker to do. Ultimately, his finishing will only continue to improve as he gets more reps in training and in games at this level, but it’s good to see him get in those positions in the first place.
From there, he’ll look to improve his overall hold-up and link-up play, as he gets used to the touches and passes required for the latter, and gets a better understanding of the physical requirements for the former.
With this goal, though, he should continue to get more reps in games, so look for him to battle for more minutes in a competitive Villarreal frontline going forward.
In particular, the next three games stand out from his perspective - Villarreal hosts Athletic Club in La Liga action on September 27th, hosts Juventus in the Champions League on October 1st, and then play Real Madrid away in La Liga action on October 4th.
While he’d love to see the field for his Champions League debut against CanMNT teammate (and occasional strike partner) Jonathan David, as well as against the litany of stars on Real, a start against Athletic Club this weekend is a real possibility - and he’ll certainly be a candidate for minutes in both of the other games, too.
What that shows, however, is the importance of this first goal, as it’ll give him the confidence he’ll need to make the most of his next few opportunities, which could be quite huge for him as he continues to adjust to life at his new club.
