Akor Adams and Chidera Ejuke both featured in Sevilla’s opening game of the new season, away at San Mames, to face Athletic Bilbao.
While Adams was named in the starting XI, Ejuke was a second half substitute in what was a thrilling encounter that produced 5 goals – but victory went to the home team.
Nico Williams put Athletic Bilbao ahead from the spot in the 36th minute, Maroan Sannadi doubled their lead two minutes before halftime.
The second half was intense. Dodi Lukébakio pulled one back for Sevilla in the 60th minute. Twelve minutes later, Los Nervionenses drew level through Lucien Agoumé.
Adams found Agoumé free outside the box and laid a precise pass to him. Agoumé fired into the bottom-left corner, giving Unai Simón no chance.
The game looked like it was going to end in a draw until Robert Navarro fired home the winner in the 81st minute, breaking the visitors’ hearts.
Adams had a good game. He provided one assist, had six touches in the opposition box, and completed 100 percent of his take-ons.
Defensively, he was solid—making four clearances that prevented potential goal-scoring opportunities, one ball recovery, and winning 100 percent of his ground duels.
Following the loss, Sevilla’s head coach, Quique Sánchez, expressed disappointment in his side’s first-half performance, blaming it for the defeat:
“It was a bad first half, very weak, against a good team who are in good form. We encouraged their pressure with mistakes at the start of the match, making silly errors at the back… We made it fairly easy for them to come at us.”
He also questioned his side’s ability to create proper goal scoring opportunities:
“We walk away with 61% possession, but we need to put the ball in better positions. We experienced difficulties in the second half, although things improved when we switched from a 5-3-2 to a 4-4-2 We dominated and shot on goal, which had penalised us a lot.”
Sevilla will take on Getafe in the second round of La Liga. Adams will face his compatriot, Chrisantus Uche, who is in great form after scoring a brace and providing an assist on the opening weekend of the season.
