Semi Ajayi’s ratings as Super Eagles star earns EPL spot after Hull City hit 14-year record

Hull City are back in the Premier League for the first time since 2017 after a dramatic 1-0 win over Middlesbrough in the EFL Championship Play-off Final at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, Afrik-Foot reports.

It was the perfect ending to a gruelling campaign for Nigeria defender Semi Ajayi as he delivered another disciplined defensive display on the biggest stage in English football’s second tier.

The Tigers needed a stoppage-time winner from Scottish striker Oli McBurnie to finally break Middlesbrough’s resistance after a tense and tactical contest played under scorching London temperatures.

The decisive moment arrived in the 95th minute when Japanese winger Yu Hirakawa burst down the left flank and drilled a dangerous low cross into the penalty area. Middlesbrough goalkeeper Sol Brynn failed to gather cleanly, and McBurnie reacted quickest to stab the loose ball over the line.

The victory completed a remarkable promotion story for manager Sergej Jakirović and his Hull side, who became the first team to finish sixth in the Championship and still win promotion through the play-offs since Blackpool achieved the feat in 2010. Hull also navigated both legs of their semi-final against Millwall and the final itself without conceding a single goal.

Ajayi earns solid rating after Hull City defensive masterclass

While McBurnie grabbed the headlines with the winning goal, Ajayi’s calm and commanding performance at the back proved equally important.

Middlesbrough dominated possession with 68 percent of the ball and attempted to pin Hull deep inside their own half for long spells, but the Nigerian centre-back stood firm throughout the contest.

Operating alongside John Egan and Charlie Hughes in a compact back three, Ajayi constantly cleared danger inside the penalty area and dealt comfortably with Middlesbrough’s aerial deliveries and cutbacks. His positioning was especially impressive whenever Boro attempted to play vertical passes through the middle.

One of the defining moments of his committed display came in stoppage time when Ajayi launched a powerful clearance that accidentally struck teammate Hughes in the face, briefly leaving Hull with 10 men as the defender received treatment. Seconds later, Hull went up the other end to score the winner that secured a Premier League return worth an estimated £205 million.

Major football analytics platforms and regional analysts awarded Ajayi a solid rating for his Wembley performance. Sofascore rated Ajayi 6.8 while WhoScored handed him a slightly better score of 6.9. The score reflected the Super Eagles star’s defensive discipline, aerial dominance and composure under pressure in a match where Hull spent most of the afternoon without the ball.

The promotion also signals Ajayi’s long-awaited return to the Premier League five years after his previous spell with West Bromwich Albion.

During the 2020-21 campaign, the Nigerian defender made 33 top-flight appearances and famously scored a dramatic late equaliser against Liverpool at Anfield. Now 32, Ajayi heads back to England’s biggest stage as one of Hull City’s most reliable performers in their historic promotion-winning season.