Akor Adams has expressed his delight at bagging a double on his first appearance for Sevilla after returning from the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations with Nigeria, Soccernet.ng reports.
Sevilla clawed their way back from the brink of defeat on Monday night as Nigeria’s Akor Adams scored twice to earn the Andalusians a vital 2-2 draw away at Elche and secure their first La Liga point of the year.
Two goals down and facing another damaging loss, Sevilla turned to Adams from the bench, and the Super Eagles striker delivered in decisive fashion. Introduced at the start of the second half, fresh from his Africa Cup of Nations campaign with Nigeria, Adams changed the rhythm of the game and dragged his team back into contention with a brace that silenced the Manuel Martínez Valero Stadium.
His first came in the 75th minute, when he calmly beat Elche goalkeeper Iñaki Peña from close range to give Sevilla hope. Then, deep into stoppage time, the 24-year-old completed the comeback, dispatching a powerful penalty into the roof of the net to secure a point that felt like a small victory for a side in need of momentum.
The draw ended Sevilla’s losing start to the year and underlined the importance of Adams, who now has five league goals this campaign. He also became the first Sevilla substitute to score twice in a La Liga match since Vicente Iborra’s hat-trick in Vigo in December 2016.
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‘The team needed me'- Akor Adams reflects on decisive return
The Sevilla number 9 had only just returned from representing Nigeria at the Africa Cup of Nations, where he played last Saturday, before being thrown into the action in the second half against Elche.
After the match, Akor Adams made it clear he felt both the responsibility and the opportunity.
“I'm back for the game after a long tournament. The team needed me , and it's good that the coach gave me some playing time to energize the team and get the draw,” the former Montpellier forward said, as per Marca.
He also believed Sevilla had done enough to win the match outright, pointing to missed chances and small mistakes.
“I think we let down a few small details . We played a good match that we should normally have won. Elche is a good team, but we had many chances and I think we could have won.”
Adams was equally keen to shift the focus away from individual praise and towards the team’s wider recovery.
“The most important thing is the team. I watched all the matches when I was away and the results weren't what we wanted . We got a draw, I scored, and I'm very happy for the team. We're focused on what's next.”
His impact could prove significant for Sevilla’s season. The club is attempting to steady itself after a difficult spell, and this result moves them further away from the relegation places as they continue their search for consistency after 20 matches.
More significantly, the night capped an impressive run of form for Adams. He finished AFCON with two goals and two assists as Nigeria claimed bronze after beating Egypt on penalties, and he has now carried that confidence straight back into domestic football.
