Super Eagles prospect Chuba Akpom has continued his recent fine form in the Dutch league with another assist as Ajax defeated Almere City 3-0 in the Eredevisie on Sunday.
A Steven Bergwijn first half hattrick ensured a second straight win for Ajax.
Akpom, who had a goal and had an assist last week in the 4-1 win over Volendam provided the assist for Steven Bergwijn’s second goal for the Amsterdam club.
Before the half-time whistle, the Ajax captain showcased a masterful performance, propelling his team to victory in front of their home crowd at the Johan Cruijff Arena with a stunning hat-trick within nine minutes.
This feat marked Bergwijn's first hat-trick since August 2022, when he netted three goals against FC Groningen.
In an entertaining game, the captain left an indelible mark on the match. His first goal came in the 29th minute, courtesy of a precise pass from Brian Brobbey.
Chuba Akpom registers assist as Ajax cruise to easy win
Shortly after, in the 34th minute, Bergwijn showed great skill, volleying Chuba Akpom‘s cross into the back of the net for his brace and a 2-0 lead for Ajax.
Not satisfied with just two goals, the captain exhibited sheer individual brilliance by penetrating the visitors' defense and scoring an unassisted goal in the 38th minute, completing his hat-trick in remarkable fashion.
With the win, Ajax have now secured a direct path to the second qualifying round of the Europa League after their fifth-place finish in the Eredivisie.
However, NEC, FC Utrecht, Sparta Rotterdam, and Go Ahead Eagles will need to fight for a single spot in the Conference League's second qualifying round through a play-off.
It's worth noting that Chuba Akpom, who provided the assist for Bergwijn's second goal, is eligible to play for Nigeria despite representing England's youth sides at U-16, U-17, U-18 and U-19 level.
In the Eredivisie, Akpom has scored 11 goals in 24 matches with three assists in a disappointing campaign for the capital side.
In all competitions, he has played 35 matches and has scored 15 goals with 3 assists.
Super Eagles call for Akpom?
The former Middlesborough striker will be hoping his recent form can earn him a call-up to the Super Eagles for the FIFA World Cup qualifiers next month.
Akpom was primed to be in Nigeria’s provisional squad for the last Africa Cup of Nations but missed out entirely.
However, with Finidi George now in charge, he will hope to finally have a crack at the Super Eagles.
