Akpom: Super Eagles prospect scores in Ligue 1 debut

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Super Eagles prospect Chuba Akpom marked his Ligue 1 debut with a goal for Lille, but it was not enough to prevent a 2-1 home defeat to Le Havre.

The 29-year-old, who remains eligible to play for Nigeria despite representing England at youth level, found the net with virtually the last kick of the game.

Akpom: Super Eagles prospect scores in Ligue 1 debut
Photo by Icon Sport

However, his late strike proved only a consolation as Lille suffered an unexpected defeat.

Lille, strong favourites against relegation-threatened Le Havre, were stunned in the 38th minute when Ahmed Hassan gave the visitors the lead.

A shell-shocked Lille then went in search of the equaliser but failed to find any in the first half.

Things worsened for the hosts in the 55th minute, as Issa Soumaré doubled Le Havre’s advantage.

Akpom, introduced at half-time in place of Rémy Cabella, pulled one back late in stoppage time, but Lille ran out of time to complete a comeback.

With this result, Lille remain fifth in the Ligue 1 standings, now 18 points behind league leaders Paris Saint-Germain.

Akpom’s performance against Le Havre

The Nigerian forward played 45 minutes, registering two shots on target from just 10 touches of the ball.

Akpom’s performance against Le Havre
Photo by Icon Sport

Akpom completed both of his attempted passes, achieving a 100% pass success rate.

He also delivered one cross, made a defensive clearance, and won the only aerial duel he contested.

On the ground, he succeeded in one of his two duels.

Despite the defeat, Akpom’s debut goal was a bright spot for Lille, and he will be hoping to contribute more as the season progresses.

Akpom: Super Eagles prospect scores in Ligue 1 debut

Andrew Randa

Andrew Randa is a veteran Nigerian sports journalist with over 20 years of experience covering the beautiful game across Africa. Andrew served as a Media Officer for Nigeria's U-20 Men's National Team for three years, offering a unique perspective on the future stars of Nigerian football.

Beyond reporting, Andrew is a pioneer in sports graphics creation within Nigeria. His expertise extends to sports kit design, making him a true multi-faceted talent in the African sports landscape.

Andrew's experience is vast, with collaborations encompassing prestigious names like Kickoff, SuperSport, the NFF (Nigeria Football Federation), and the NPFL (Nigeria Professional Football League)