It was a Nigerian show at the Johan Cruyff Arena as both Chuba Akpom and Victor Osimhen played crucial roles in the UEFA Europa League clash between Ajax and Galatasaray, each making major contributions for their respective clubs as the Dutch side won 2-1 on the night.
Ajax started the game on the front foot, immediately putting pressure on the Turkish side as they pushed for an early breakthrough.
Their dominance paid off in the 23rd minute when Akpom, who had been introduced as a substitute in the 12th minute, provided the assist for Burkina Faso forward Bertrand Traoré to open the scoring.
Despite a few promising chances for Osimhen and his Galatasaray teammates, the first half ended with Ajax maintaining their slim lead.
The second half saw Ajax double their advantage in the 58th minute, with Traoré turning provider for Kian Fitz-Jim, who finished clinically to put the Dutch side in control.
Galatasaray refused to back down and kept pressing for a way back into the game.
Their persistence paid off in stoppage time when Osimhen, always a threat in attack, found the net to register his fifth Europa League goal of the season.
However, his late strike was not enough to change the outcome, as Ajax held on to secure a 2-1 victory.
Akpom and Osimhen's performance in numbers
Akpom, who was on the pitch for 81 minutes, had a solid outing, registering an assist for the opening goal. He had one shot on target and another off target while managing 29 touches on the ball.
His passing accuracy stood at 61 percent, completing 11 of the 18 passes he attempted. He delivered one successful long ball, but his other crosses failed to connect.
In duels, he won three of his five ground battles and came out on top in one of his three aerial challenges.
Osimhen, on the other hand, played the full 90 minutes and capped his performance with a goal.
He was heavily involved in Galatasaray’s attacking play, registering five shots on target while also seeing one attempt blocked.
He successfully completed his only dribbling attempt and had 21 touches of the ball.
His passing was less effective, as he completed only three of his six passes for a 33 percent success rate.
In duels, he won two out of four on the ground and was dominant in the air, winning five of his nine aerial contests.
Despite Osimhen’s late goal, it was Ajax and Akpom who emerged victorious as both players and their clubs made it to the knock-out phase of the competition.
