Red-letter day for Super Falcons-eligible midfielder as she makes senior debut for Chelsea

It was a red-letter day for Super Falcons-eligible player Ashanti Akpan on Sunday, March 19 as she made her senior debut for current WSL champions Chelsea. 

The 2005-born midfielder received her second call-up to Chelsea's first team for their Women’s FA Cup quarterfinal tie against Reading at the Madejski Stadium.

In November 2022, Akpan was a non-playing substitute in Chelsea's 2-0 win over Real Madrid in the UEFA Women's Champions League. 

Against the Royals today, the 17-year-old, wearing the number 36 at the back of her jersey, made her senior debut when she entered the game as a substitute in the 64th minute, replacing Sophie Ingle.

Born in Warsaw to a Polish mother and Nigerian father, Akpan has attended Young Lionesses' training camps in the past, and is also eligible to represent her native Poland apart from the Super Falcons. 

Chelsea advanced to the semifinals of the Women's FA Cup thanks to goals from Jess Carter, Maren Mjelde and Guro Reiten, while Troelsgaard pulled one back for Reading.

Up next, Emma Hayes' team travel to France to face Lyon in the first leg of their UEFA Women's Champions League quarterfinal.

Akpan is theoretically in contention to face the French side on Wednesday, March 22 as she has been registered for the competition. 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

Photo Credit : chelseafc.com

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