Super Eagles prospect Chuba Akpom marked his Ligue 1 debut with a goal for Lille, but his late strike was only a consolation in a disappointing 2-1 home defeat to Le Havre.
Akpom followed in the footsteps of Super Eagles forward Victor Osimhen, Moses Simon, and Terem Moffi, who also scored on their Ligue 1 debuts for Lille, Nantes, and FC Lorient, respectively.
However, his goal came too late to rescue his side from defeat.
Le Havre Stun Lille
Lille, strong favourite against relegation-threatened Le Havre, were caught off guard in the 38th minute when Ahmed Hassan fired the visitors ahead. Despite their dominance in possession, the hosts struggled to break down Le Havre’s defence and went into the break trailing.
Things went from bad to worse in the 55th minute as Issa Soumaré doubled Le Havre’s lead, leaving Lille with a mountain to climb.
Akpom’s Late Impact
Ligue 1 match between Lille and Le Havre at Stade Pierre Mauroy. (Photo by Anthony Bibard/FEP/Icon Sport via Getty Images)
Akpom, who joined Lille on loan from **Ajax Amsterdam with an option to buy, came on as a second-half substitute and made an instant impact. The 29-year-old found the net in the 97th minute, reducing the deficit to 2-1, but it was too little, too late.
Despite the defeat, Akpom’s performance was one of the few bright spots for Lille, who missed the chance to climb into the Champions League spots.
Promising Start for Akpom
The Nigerian forward, who remains eligible for the Super Eagles despite representing England at youth level, put in an encouraging display.
He completed all his passes (100% pass success rate), delivered a cross, made a defensive clearance, and won an aerial duel.
Lille will now turn their attention to their next game against Rennes on February 16, with Akpom hoping to build on his debut goal and stake his claim for a starting spot.
His move to Lille is seen as a fresh start after struggling to establish himself at Ajax, and his early impact suggests he could play a key role for the club in the second half of the season.
