It is usually worthy of a story whenever former West Ham United youngster Jeremy Ngakia scores a rare goal for Watford, and his stunner in Friday night’s 2-1 win at Bristol City was no exception.
Now 25 years of age, the Deptford-born right-back has only ever scored four goals in 139 appearances for Watford and West Ham United.
Back in October, he tripled his career tally in the space of one afternoon.
If his first was pretty simple – Jeremy Ngakia bundled home at the far post to draw Watford level at home to Oxford United – his second only moments later was fairly extraordinary. He found the far post direct from a corner.
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George Earthy of Bristol City in action during the Sky Bet Championship match between Bristol City and Sheffield Wednesday at Ashton Gate on January 24, 2026 in Bristol, England.
Now, as West Ham prepare to face Liverpool at Anfield in Saturday’s 3pm kick-off, the Hornets kicked off the Championship weekend with a win which could have major implications for a typically hard-fought play-off battle.
And it was Ngakia – enjoying his best-ever scoring season – who ensured that Ed Still’s side are now right on the coattails of sixth-place Wrexham.
Jeremy Ngakia scores a ‘worldie’ as former West Ham United kid makes Watford dream
Picking up the ball around 25 yards out with the score at Ashton Gate stuck at 1-1, Ngakia rifled a fizzing shot into the top corner of the Bristol City goal as Hammers loanee George Earthy watched on helplessly from the sidelines.
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“Jeremy’s goal was an absolute worldie,” beamed a delighted Still, the older brother of former Southampton coach Will enjoying three wins and a draw from his first four matches at the helm.
“What composure to control the ball as he did and come up with that quality of strike.
Bristol City v Watford - Sky Bet Championship
Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images
“The most important beyond anything else this evening was the energy the players could find and the heart they could put into it. Everybody saw the commitment that has gone into that performance.
“We forced a little bit of luck. When you create a wondergoal like that, it doesn’t just fall from the sky! We’ve got a bit lucky at the end as well, they’ve had a couple of chances where on another day that could be a draw.
“We’re not getting ahead of ourselves but it does feel special.”
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West Ham United's Mateus Fernandes celebrates scoring his side's third goal during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Sunderland at London Stadium on January 24, 2026 in London, England.
Provided West Ham do manage to avoid the drop – Nuno’s side face a daunting run of fixtures, starting with a trip to the reigning champions – there is a very real chance that Watford will be joining them in the Premier League for the first time since the 2021/22 season.
Ngakia would suffer relegation in only his second campaign in Hertfordshire.
He certainly feels that he has unfinished business, then, among the elite. And as Watford revel in a genuine Goal of the Season contender – photoshopping Ngakia’s victorious face onto Brazil legend Cafu’s body – the dream of promotion now feels that little bit more realistic.
“Those are the moments that you dream of,” Ngakia smiled at full-time.
“I want us to take it game-by-game. I think we have done that this season. I know we have had a lot of changes, but as a team we’ve stuck together.
“[Still] has brought us new energy, and you can see on the pitch what we are doing. We just want to keep it up. It’s definitely our time. I’m tired of us not pushing at this time of the season, but we’re doing it now.
“I want to make sure we take this opportunity because it’s a massive [win] for us.”
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