Ex-Tottenham academy star scores awful own goal and sparks coach’s immediate resignation after game

Former Tottenham academy star Josh Oluwayemi scored a calamitous own goal, leading to his coach announcing his resignation.

The 24-year-old goalkeeper, who now plays in Australia’s A-League with Wellington Phoenix, was at the centre of a comical moment in his side’s 5-0 thrashing at home to Auckland FC on Saturday.

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Oluwayemi was left red faced after misjudging a clearance from Auckland’s Jake Girdwood-Reich in the 24th minute of the match.

Girdwood-Reich was 80 yards from Oluwayemi’s goal when he cleared the ball downfield with the ex-Spurs starlet completely out of position.

As the big up and under approached his goal, Oluwayemi was inexplicably still outside of his box and in an attempt to deal with the danger, he misjudged the flight of the ball.

But worse was to come as when Oluwayemi backpeddled towards goal, he gave Girdwood-Reich a helping hand by heading the ball into his own net.

The gaffe opened the floodgates for Auckland who went on to score three more times before the interval.

Wellington coach Giancarlo Italiano was quick to put an end to Oluwayemi’s misery and substituting him at half time for second choice goalkeeper Alby Kelly-Heald.

Auckland added a fifth 16 minutes from time to round off a convincing win but that wasn’t the end of the drama.

After the final whistle, the Australian coach revealed he had resigned as Wellington manager with immediate effect.

Italiano, who took over as boss in the 2023/24 season, was left distraught by his side’s performance in the 5-0 defeat.

He said: “To lose 5-0 at home with the season still to play for is unacceptable, I take full responsibility.

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“I’ve told the club, I’ve tendered my resignation. I think it’s easier for someone to come in with new energy and refocus the group.”

Italiano led Wellington to a second-place finish in his first campaign in charge before a disappointing 11th-placed finish last season.

Phoenix currently sit 10th in the A-League table but are without a win in their last five games.

Italiano’s successor will have a job on his hands lifting Oluwayemi’s spirits after a match to forget for the London-born shot-stopper.

Oluwayemi signed for Tottenham at the age of ten but was released by the club in 2022.

After a successful trial, he joined Portsmouth on a permanent deal before completing loan deals at Chelmsford and Finnish outfit Lahti.

Oluwayemi signed for Wellington in August 2024 and is contracted to the club until the end of the current campaign.