SEMI AJAYI SHINES AS HULL CITY DRAW 1-1 AWAY AT OXFORD UNITED
Read Time:1 Minute, 51 Second
By: Fasasi Hammad
Semi Ajayi stole the show as Hull City secured a 1-1 draw at Oxford United on Friday, delivering a commanding performance that shone both defensively and in attack, the media reports.
The Super Eagles defender had just returned to full training following an injury scare during the international break. Ajayi had pulled out of Nigeria’s camp ahead of the friendly against Jordan after sustaining a knock, missing the 2-2 draw in Antalya, although he had featured for 45 minutes in the 2-1 victory over Iran earlier in the window.
His timely return proved a boost for Hull head coach Sergej Jakirović as the Tigers prepared for a pivotal Easter weekend clash.
READ MORE…
LOOKMAN EMERGES AS ATLÉTICO’S MAIN THREAT AHEAD OF BARCA TIES
Hull took the lead inside four minutes thanks to Mohamed Belloumi, who converted a pinpoint long-range pass from Ajayi. The Nigerian defender’s precise delivery from the back allowed Belloumi to glide past defenders and slot a deflected left-footed shot past Jamie Cumming, highlighting Ajayi’s composure and vision under pressure.
Oxford responded nine minutes later after a foul on Will Lankshear by Charlie Hughes saw Cameron Brannagan convert a penalty to level the score.
Despite conceding, Ajayi continued to dominate, repeatedly winning free kicks in Hull’s defensive half and assisting John Lundstram’s attacking attempt in the 56th minute.
The statistics underlined his influence: Ajayi was the highest-rated player on the pitch, earning 8.5, 8.6, and 7.7 from Flashscore, Fotmob, and SofaScore respectively, and unanimously named man of the match.
Defensively, he was imperious—15 tackles won, four interceptions, 10 clearances, six recoveries, and five aerial duels won from six contests. On the ground, he won seven of eight duels and was never dribbled past.
Offensively, Ajayi contributed significantly with 39 carries covering 292 metres, 165.3 metres of forward progression, one assist, two key passes, and an accurate pass rate of 82% from 72 attempts.
The draw keeps Hull fifth in the Championship with 67 points from 40 matches, setting up a crucial Easter Monday showdown against league leaders Coventry City at home.
Happy
0 %
Sad
0 %
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
0 %
Surprise
0 %
0
0