Chuba Akpom netted a hat-trick in Ajax’s 4-1 away win at Jagiellonia Bialystok, in the first leg of the Europa League Play-offs on Thursday.
After Adrian Dieguez had opened the scoring for Jagiellonia Bialystok, Akpom equalised for Ajax in the 10th minute.
In the 61st minute Akpom got his second goal to put Ajax 3-1 up before completing his hat-trick from the penalty spot on 69 minutes.
Mika Godts, who got Ajax’s second goal, missed the chance to get his second goal after missing a 79th minute penalty.
Akpom is yet to register a goal in the Eredivisie this season after making two appearances.
In other Europa League first leg results, PAOK thrashed Shamrock Rovers 4-0, Ludogorets also hammered Petrocub 4-0, Lugano and Besiktas played 3-3, Anderlecht pipped Dinamo Minsk 1-0 and Sporting Braga edged Rapid Wien 2-1.
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Timing is everything.
“Dual nationality players say they want to play for England, France, or another country. And then, they wait and they keep waiting and waiting, then when they get to 25 or 26 and they don’t get a call-up, they call Nigeria,” Mercurial Super Eagles midfielder Mikel Obi said recently.
“If you decide you want to play for England, stick to it, sit and wait. If you don’t get a call-up, then you don’t get a call-up. Don’t wait until you’re 29 or 30 when you’re past your best before calling Nigeria.” Suggested Mikel.
That statement generated a lot of controversy but I kinda see where Mikel is (trying) to come from.
Look at someone like this Chuba Akpom, he was approached to play for Nigeria the same time as Tyrone Ebuehi, Ola Aina Brian Idowu and, further down the line, Semi Ajayi, Cyriel Dessers and Joe Aribo: most of whom have already gone on to represent Nigeria in big tournaments or at least participate in meaty qualifiers.
However Akpom chose to edge his bets, bide his time and weigh his options. When the time-glass appeared to no longer be sand-packed in his favour age-wise, with chances of his first option fading with the wind, he then remembered: hmm, there’s Nigeria!
Although he belatedly switched to Nigeria, he has ‘conveniently’ been overlooked by at least 3 national team coaches. Has he been blacklisted by the NFF for snubbing the overtures of current shadow NFF Chairman Amaju Pinnick? Who knows?
His snub does seem inexplicable to me owing to how lethal he has been for Middlesbrough and Ajax in recent seasons.
Way back in October 2017, he would so easily have made his Super Eagle debut against Zambia with Ola Aina as they were both courted by Pinnick to ditch our former colonial masters for this colony back then. Seven years later, Aina has no less than 40 caps for Nigeria with his secured place in the Super Eagles squad as strong as cement.
And Akpom? still waiting for his first call-up.
For me, football is not about feelings o! If Akpom still has fire in his belly to represent Nigeria, why not give him a chance? Better late than never; although reluctant at first, he came to his senses and retraced his ancestral roots.
Although we currently have a glut of strikers, the more – they say – the merrier.
@Deo… Chuba Akpom switched allegiance to Nigeria since 2019. He is 28yrs old now… a real 28year old. So he declared readiness to play for Nigeria at 23yrs old. Only he became a force late in his career starting from Middlesborough… we need him. He has been waiting 5years to make his eagle debut and playing for Ajax shows he is still a force.
Hi Jimmy,
Thanks for your contribution. You are 100% spot on with your contribution.
Ola Aina is just one year younger than Akpom. Although they were both courted by Pinnick right about the same time, even both taking a picture widely found on the Internet with Pinnick, Akpom waited around 3 years after that picture to make up his mind.
My argument is that, had Akpom made up his mind at the same time Aina did, I suspect he (Akpom) would have notched several caps for the Super Eagles by now. The following statements by me a mere speculations, but I think, waiting for those 36 months for an England call-up before finally falling back to Nigeria around 2020 did not go down well with some people in the NFF.
Yes, he was still young when he finally picked Nigeria but the perception is that “he dragged his feet before making that decision.”
Look at someone like Josh Maja who I think is not as good as Akpom, he has still managed to clock one Super Eagles cap to his name in 2019 and Akpom is still waiting for a call up despite 3 decent seasons of healthy returns in front of goal.
Again, I although what I am saying is mere speculations, something about Akpom’s continued snub doesn’t seem above-board to me.
I think there is more chance for Maja and Dessers to get recalled than Akpom to get an initial call up.