Ajax manager Francesco Farioli emphasised the importance of team spirit, praising Chuba Akpom for his exceptional performance in the club's 3-0 away victory against Qarabag in the Europa League at the Tofiq Bahramov Stadium on Thursday.
The Nigerian forward was brought on in the 59th minute, replacing Kenneth Taylor, and made an immediate impact by scoring in the 77th minute to extend Ajax's lead to 3-0.
The former Middlesbrough forward has seen his game time limited due to the availability of Brian Brobbey, Wout Weghorst, and emerging talent Mika Godts.
Farioli highlighted the importance of team spirit, singling out Akpom for his standout contribution to the victory.
Farioli commends Akpom's impact and team play
In his post-match reflections, Farioli praised the vital role of teamwork in securing the victory over Qarabag and acknowledged Akpom's journey to this moment.
“In the previous league match, Chuba was ready to come on, but we scored and I made a different choice. He accepted that, although he was of course not happy.
“Tonight he got his chance and the credits. That's how it works, we are a team. In my eyes, the collective makes the difference; the team comes first,” he told Ziggo Sport as per Voetbalprimeur.
Upon his substitution, Akpom made a significant impact, registering two shots on target—one of which resulted in a goal.
He recorded 17 touches and achieved an impressive 11 out of 12 accurate passes, representing a 92% success rate and also won all three of his ground duels and one out of two aerial duels.
Akpom has made eight appearances for the Dutch giants across all competitions, starting in two of those matches. He has scored two goals, provided one assist, and has averaged 39 minutes of playing time per game.
