17-year-old Nigerian forward Jeff Ekhator made headlines over the weekend by scoring his first goal in Serie A, even as his team, Genoa, faced a challenging 5-1 defeat against Atalanta at the Gewiss Stadium.
The Italian-Nigerian striker, who came off the bench, showed off his potential with a remarkable long-range strike that slightly lifted the spirits of the Genoa side amid a difficult match, Footballrover reports.
Ekhator’s goal arrived in the 83rd minute after he replaced Andrea Pinamonti in the second half.
This strike marked a significant milestone for the young player, making him the second youngest to score in Europe’s top five leagues during the 2024-2025 season.
He trails only Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, who achieved this feat earlier in the season.
Jeff Ekhator is the second-youngest goalscorer in Europe's top 5 leagues.
As per All Nigeria Soccer, Ekhator achieved this milestone at just 17 years and 329 days old. pic.twitter.com/2JfAKfQJb5
— Emmanuel sunday (@Mulla__7) October 6, 2024
Despite Ekhator’s commendable performance, Genoa found themselves struggling throughout the match.
Atalanta, with a stunning display, built a commanding 5-0 lead courtesy of Mateo Retegui’s hat-trick, alongside goals from Éderson and Marten de Roon.
The mismatch was evident, but Ekhator’s late goal was a silver lining in an otherwise challenging evening for the club.
With three caps for Italy’s U19 team, Ekhator has already made a name for himself in youth football, having garnered an impressive tally of 52 goal contributions during his tenure in the youth leagues.
His abilities caught the attention of Genoa’s head coach, Alberto Gilardino, leading to his promotion to the senior squad.
A promising future for Ekhator
Ekhator’s emergence could herald a bright future for both him and Genoa as he looks to build on this debut goal in the top flight.
The striker is also looking set to join the U19 national team for upcoming matches against Wales.
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