Chuba Akpom ran the show for Ajax on Thursday as the Nigerian forward scored a hat-trick in their 4-1 comeback win over Polish club Jagiellonia Białystok in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League play-off encounter.
The 28-year-old, who joined Ajax last summer, opened his account for the season with a strike in the 9th minute after Adrian Dieguez had put the home side in front four minutes earlier inside the Białystok City Stadium.
After seeing several of his attempts saved by Białystok’s goalkeeper, 19-year-old Belgian forward Mika Godts completed the comeback for the visitors in the 28th minute with his first goal of the season.
Ajax turned up the burners in the second half, either Akpom scoring his second a minute after the hour mark, before completing his hat-trick in the 69th minute thanks to a well-struck penalty following a foul on Danish defender Anton Gaaei.
Godts was provided with the opportunity to get a brace and make it five to Ajax, but the forward failed to convert his penalty kick.
The Dutch giants are not in action this weekend thanks to no matches in the Eredivisie. However, they will welcome Jagiellonia Białystok to the Johan Cruijff ArenA in Amsterdam next Thursday, August 29, for the second leg of their playoff tie.
