Samuel Akere’s promising form continued on Thursday afternoon, as the Nigerian forward opened the scoring for Botev Plovdiv in their First Professional League clash against Ludogorets Razgrad.
Despite Akere’s efforts, his side had to endure a humbling 4-2 defeat at home, Footballrover reports.
The match featured three Nigerian players for Botev Plovdiv, but their presence could not prevent the visitors from dominating proceedings.
Akere’s goal shines amid tough competition
The 20-year-old Nigerian, who had recently propelled Botev Plovdiv to the Bulgarian Cup quarterfinals, displayed his skill in front of goal once again with a well-timed strike just barely five minutes into the game.
This marked his third goal involvement of the season, following previous contributions in the Europa Conference League and the Bulgarian Cup.
However, the home side’s spirited start ended in disappointment as Ludogorets equalised through Rwan Cruz in the 20th minute.
Cruz stunned the home team again 20 minutes later to give the visitors the lead, and just before the halftime whistle, Rick extended Ludogorets’ advantage to 3-1.
Ludogorets overpower their hosts
The second half brought more challenges for the home team. Ehije Ukaki, one of the Nigerians in the starting lineup, was substituted at halftime, with Christian Nwachukwu entering the fray.
The away side maintained their momentum, netting their fourth goal through Jakub Piotrowski in the 55th minute.
Although Aleksa Maras managed to reduce the deficit with a goal for Botev Plovdiv, the hosts could not stage a comeback.
Looking ahead: Super Cup final
It was indeed a tough home loss for Botev, although the team will still remain 2nd in the league until February.
Despite the setback, Samuel Akere and his teammates will have to face their visitors again in the Bulgarian Super Cup final.
Akere’s consistent performances provide hope for a better outcome in their next showdown.
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