By Dayo Awoniyi
Nigerian forward Akor Adams made a dream debut for Sevilla on Sunday, scoring an 87th-minute winner to secure a 1-0 victory over Rayo Vallecano in a tense La Liga encounter in Madrid.
Adams, who joined the Andalusian club this season, started the match on the bench but was introduced in the second half by head coach Quique Sánchez Flores in a bid to inject energy into a struggling attack.
The substitution paid immediate dividends, as the 24-year-old netted the decisive goal just minutes from full time.
With the match heading towards a goalless draw, Adams capitalised on a defensive lapse, ghosting into space inside the box before clinically dispatching a low shot past the Rayo goalkeeper to silence the home crowd and seal all three points for Sevilla.
Beyond the goal, Adams impressed with his movement, pressing, and hold-up play, offering a physical presence that had been lacking in Sevilla’s front line for much of the game.
His impact lifted the team’s performance and provided a late attacking spark that ultimately changed the outcome.
The victory marks Sevilla’s first away win of the campaign and a much-needed boost as they look to climb the La Liga table following a sluggish start to the season.
For Adams, it was a statement performance — one that not only excites the Sevilla faithful but also signals his potential as a key figure for Nigeria’s Super Eagles heading into future international fixtures.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey 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.
