Semi Ajayi gave a solid account of himself in his first league appearance for Hull City.
Hull City played out a goalless draw against Coventry City in their EFL Championship opener. Hull had to be defensively sound to secure a point, as Coventry were clearly the better side.
The host dominated possession as they had 58% of the ball and registered 17 shots, including one that hit the woodwork in the 53rd minute.
The two standout performers in the match were goalkeeper Ivor Pandur and defender Semi Ajayi.
Pandur played the full 90 minutes and kept a clean sheet. Ajayi, meanwhile, was solid at the back — making eight clearances, completing three tackles, and winning 100% of his duels.
The Nigerian also impressed as a ball-playing defender, showing calmness on the ball and helping in the build up play . He completed 30 accurate passes, including five into the final third.
Hull City manager Sergej Jakirovic praised his team’s performance, saying:
“It was a very tough game for us because of the pressure from Coventry. It was the first round of the season, but we were defensively very good.”
Coventry City’s manager also acknowledged Hull’s mental toughness and resilience :
“They defended their box well — I think you could tell they were very happy with the draw. So, not easy to break down, and maybe with the lack of sharpness at the top end of the pitch in the first game of the season, it can be a difficult game for different reasons.”
He also acknowledged his own team’s efforts:
“But I was happy with lots of our play, happy with a clean sheet — it’s always important that if you’re not going to be absolutely at your best, you make sure you don’t concede. Disappointed not to win the game, but there are positives to take moving forward.”
