By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Nigerian forwards Akor Adams and Kelechi Iheanacho were both on target as Sevilla defeated German side Schalke 04 with a commanding 4–0 win in a pre-season friendly on Saturday.
Adams, who joined Sevilla last season but was hampered by injuries, opened his account for the Spanish side with a well-taken brace, signaling his intent ahead of the 2025/26 La Liga campaign.
His compatriot Iheanacho added a third in the second half, marking a promising return after a difficult debut season that included a six-month loan spell at English Championship side Middlesbrough.
Brazilian centre-back Marcão sealed the victory with a late strike, capping off a dominant team performance.
The attacking link-up between Adams and Iheanacho was a standout feature, offering encouragement for manager Quique Sánchez Flores as he shapes his squad ahead of the new season.
Sevilla are scheduled to play several more warm-up matches before La Liga resumes in August.
With the transfer window still open, Iheanacho’s future at the club remains uncertain amid ongoing speculation about a potential move.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
