Che Adams emulated Denis Law with the decisive goal in Torino's 2-1 win over Atalanta on Sunday, delighting fans who had called for the Serie A club's owner to sell in mass pre-match protests.
Scotland striker Adams netted his first goal for Torino since signing as a free agent last month, tapping home the hosts' second four minutes after halftime.
The 28-year-old became the first of his countrymen to score for Torino since Scotland and Manchester United legend Law in the 1961/62 season.
Adams rolling in the winner after Duvan Zapata's low shot was saved made it a perfect home debut in which he also set up Ivan Ilic's delightfully dinked equaliser in the 31st minute.
Welcome to Torino, Mr. Adams 🏴❤️🔥#TorinoAtalanta pic.twitter.com/sC1Szp8lIO
— Torino Football Club (@TorinoFC1906_En) August 25, 2024
His strike, and Vanja Milinkovic-Savic saving Mario Pasalic's penalty deep in stoppage time, put Torino on four points from their first two matches.
The win came after thousands of fans marched to the game together to demand that owner Urbano Cairo sell the club after 19 largely drab years at the helm.
Cairo is a media magnate who owns the RCS group which publishes the Gazzetta Dello Sport and historic Italian daily Corriere Della Sera and organises major Italian cycling races including the Giro d'Italia grand tour.
Fans who had watched Torino play well in their opening 2-2 draw at AC Milan were taken aback by the sudden sale of Italy defender Raoul Bellanova to Atalanta, as was coach Paolo Vanoli.
But Vanoli's team did brilliantly to bounced back from Mateo Retegui's opener for Atalanta, already his third goal of the season.
And home supporters roared at what they saw as justice being done when Milinkovic-Savic saved the three points after Valentino Lazaro was harshly ruled to have fouled Federico Cassa following a VAR check.
Fiorentina were held to a goalless draw by Venezia in the day's other early kick-off.