Young Nigerian Chelsea player fails to break Anjorin's record

Posted : 18 April 2025

Landon Emenalo, the son of former Nigeria international Michael Emenalo, was unable to make history as Chelsea faced a surprising 2-1 defeat against Legia Warsaw in the second leg of their UEFA Conference League quarterfinal at Stamford Bridge on Thursday night. Had he played, Emenalo would have become the youngest Nigerian to appear for Chelsea’s first team in a competitive match, at just 17 years and 89 days old.

Currently, Tino Anjorin holds the record for being the youngest Nigerian to feature for Chelsea's first team. He made his debut at 17 years and 306 days old during a match against Grimsby Town in September 2019. Anjorin's record stood firm as Emenalo missed out on the opportunity to break it during Chelsea's recent clash.

Emenalo had been named in Chelsea’s UEFA Conference League squad for the match, making him eligible for selection. Alongside Tosin Adarabioyo and Tyrique George, he was one of the players included for the fixture, showing that he had earned the chance to play for the senior side following strong performances with Chelsea's U18 and U21 teams this season.

Had he played, the young midfielder would have worn the number 72 shirt for the match. His call-up was a recognition of his talent, as he had impressed at the youth level and earned his first senior team inclusion as a result. Unfortunately, he did not make an appearance in the 2-1 loss to Legia Warsaw.

Despite the defeat, Chelsea advanced to the semifinals with a 4-2 aggregate win. Their victory in the first leg in Warsaw, where they triumphed 3-0, ultimately secured their progression, even though they were not at their best in the return fixture at Stamford Bridge.

The match saw Tomas Pekhart give Legia Warsaw the lead early, scoring from a penalty within the first ten minutes. Chelsea's Marc Cucurella responded with an equalizer just before halftime, but Legia restored their lead in the second half. Steve Kapuadi scored from a corner to make it 2-1, which ended Chelsea's impressive nine-match European winning streak.

Maxi Oyedele, a Manchester United academy product of Nigerian descent, played the full match for Legia Warsaw, contributing to their resilient performance against Chelsea. Despite the loss, Chelsea’s aggregate win ensured their progress to the next stage of the competition.

Young Nigerian Chelsea player fails to break Anjorin's record

ADD A COMMENT :

Hot Topics