Forward, Chuba Akpom described his performance against Jagiellonia Białystok in a UEFA Europa League playoff tie, on Thursday night, as his best since joining Ajax.
Akpom scored a sensational hat-trick, leading Ajax to a 4-1 comeback victory over the Polish club.
This achievement marks Akpom’s first hat-trick for the former Dutch champions and his first of the season.
Reflecting on his performance, the former Arsenal player said that, “It’s amazing. I thank God. I thank my teammates and all the staff for all the support.
“I had my best match in an Ajax shirt today, so I’m happy,” he told Ajax TV.
Akpom, who had struggled to score in his previous four appearances, acknowledged the frustration of a goal drought but remained optimistic.
““Scoring is what I thrive on; it’s what I love to do, so when it’s not happening, it gets frustrating,” he said.
“But I’m a very positive and persistent person, so I say thank you to the coach for the trust and just continue to help the team as much as I can.”
He described his hat-trick as a relief:
“It’s like a big weight off my shoulders. I love scoring goals.” When asked about his three-goal feat, Akpom added.
“If anyone was on a hat-trick, I would have given the ball to them. But it was me. I’m happy to score the goal.”
