Peruvian striker Ysrael Zuniga welcomed his wife to England by
scoring the reserves’ winner within minutes of her arrival at
Highfield Road last night.
Senora Frecia Zuniga flew in from Lima to join her husband in his
English adventure and was whisked to the stadium just in time to see
him slide the ball into the net.
It was not his first goal in England however. Unknown to Frecia at
that time, he had already become the first Peruvian to score a goal at
Highfield Road when he grabbed a 42nd minute equaliser
against West Ham United.
The reserves won 2-1 after a compelling second half performance
which did not allow West Ham a single shot on target.
The Hammers included the England international defender Neil
Ruddock and half a dozen of the youth team that comprehensively beat
Coventry in the FA Youth Cup Final last season.
But though the visitors took the lead in the 31st minute
through Jimmy Bullard, following a piece of sloppy defending, they
seldom troubled a Coventry defence well marshalled by Mo Konjic.
All eyes were on Zuniga, however, in his first match at Highfield
Road and he did not disappoint.
He took a ninety minute buffeting from Ruddock, but earned his
revenge in the best possible way by scoring both Coventry goals.
The first in the 42nd minute was from close range.
Chukkie Eribenne’s shot ricocheted off a defender to the Peruvian’s
feet, and though he was closely marked by two defenders a quick body
movement opened up a gap and he fired low and hard into the net.
His second in the 78th minute was a typical poacher’s
goal. His darting run was spotted by Robert Betts who threaded through
a pass and the little South American's cheeky dummy left the
goalkeeper on the seat of his pants before tapping in the winner.
