Akpom nets 89th career goal with brace in Ajax 3-1 win against PEC Zwolle but goes off injured

Arsenal's Hale End Academy product Chuba Akpom was the hero for Ajax Amsterdam as they defeated PEC Zwolle 3-1 in a Dutch Eredivisie clash staged at MAC³PARK stadion on Easter Sunday.

Akpom's brace against PEC Zwolle took his career tally to 89 goals as a professional comprising 29 in the colours of PAOK Salonika, 34 for Middlesbrough, 7 for Hull City, 6 for Sint-Truidense VV and thirteen for current club Ajax.

After Danish-born Iceland international Kristian Hlynsson opened the scoring, Akpom doubled the advantage in the 24th minute when he initiated a one-two with Mika Godts before driving the ball past a Zwolle defender and into the net.

Nineteen minutes from time, the Super Eagles hopeful had a huge chance to make it 3-0 but shot wide with the goalkeeper at his mercy. 

PEC Zwolle substitute Filip Krastev reduced the deficit a minute after the Nigerian missed the chance to put the game out of sight.

But Akpom later made amends when he scored a decisive third goal for the Amsterdam club in the 84th minute, 

The Ajax Amsterdam number 10 was replaced by Julian Rijkhoff immediately after the goal due to injury. 

36-time Dutch champions Ajax have scored 60 goals in this season's Eredivisie, with Akpom accounting for exactly fifteen percent of the goals, despite making five starts from a possible twenty-seven in the division. 

Akpom secured the Man of the Match award after netting his third brace of the season. 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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