Iheanacho and Ejuke start their first official match for Sevilla in a 2-1 loss to Villarreal in the Spanish La Liga.
Debut Appearances
Unfortunately, Chidera Ejuke, who performed well in pre-season, was not included in the starting line-up against Las Palmas.
Meanwhile, Kelechi Iheanacho was not included at all due to problems with his La Liga registration, as reported earlier by Sportsbuddy.
However, both players were in the actual matchday squad for the assigned Friday night combat with Villarreal, with Ejuke among the substitutes.
Match Summary
The match started badly for Sevilla as Arnaut Danjuma struck for Villarreal in the 2nd minute.
Sevilla equalised through Juanlu Sanchez in the eighth minute, but the goal was disallowed using VAR for offside.
The home side was able to equalise in the first half, extra time when Dodi Lukebakio scored to make it 1-1.
Sevilla kept pressing hard but failed to find the equaliser in the fifth minute of added time.
Ayoze Perez ensured Villarreal won the encounter 2-1. Ejuke and Iheanacho, who were brought on in the second half, were livewire but couldn’t change the outcome of the game.
Ejuke stood out with six successful dribble attempts, while Iheanacho put up a strong show but was unable to make a difference.
Looking Ahead
It is a loss for Sevilla, but the performances of Iheanacho and Ejuke give an indication of what more they can offer as the season progresses.
Supporters will be expecting a better performance in the following matches as the new players adapt to the team.