Akor Adams has become Sevilla’s most important player in the most critical weeks of their season, as the Nigeria international pulled his club back from the brink with a stoppage-time winner against Espanyol that reignited their La Liga survival hopes, Footynaija.com reports.
Sevilla entered this fixture sitting 17th in La Liga, a single point above the relegation zone with the final stretch of the season in sight. They had won only two of their previous four league matches and could not afford a slip against an Espanyol side who, despite their own poor second-half campaign, had already beaten them in the reverse fixture earlier this season.
The first half was goalless and largely forgettable, with both teams creating half-chances but neither able to convert. Sevilla thought they had taken the lead seconds into the second half through Alexis Sánchez, but VAR intervened and ruled the goal out for offside.
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The miss proved costly. Tyrhys Dolan punished Sevilla’s hesitancy on the hour mark, finishing cleanly through the middle of the box after Roberto Fernandez played him in to put Espanyol 1-0 ahead.
Sevilla clawed level in the 82nd minute through Andrés Castrín, whose low effort from a difficult angle crept into the bottom left corner to restore parity. It looked like a point apiece until Adams changed everything.
Introduced as a substitute in the 75th minute, the Super Eagles striker collected a pass from Alexis Sánchez and drove a right-footed shot from outside the box into the bottom right corner deep into stoppage time, earning himself a yellow card for excessive celebration and earning his club three priceless points.
Fellow Nigerian Chidera Ejuke, who was also active throughout on the left flank, created a clear opening for Nemanja Gudelj in the 78th minute and assisted a blocked shot from Juanlu Sánchez in the 69th minute, giving Sevilla consistent width and energy in a game they desperately needed to control.
Sevilla avoided relegation by just a single point last season, and this win suggests they have the character, if not always the quality, to do it again. With fixtures running out, every Adams moment matters more than the last.
