Akor Adams wasted no time reminding Spain and Sevilla what they had missed.
Less than 48 hours after returning from continental duty, the Super Eagles striker marked his comeback to club football in emphatic fashion on Monday night, scoring twice as Sevilla FC fought back to earn a dramatic 2–2 draw away to Elche CF at the Manuel Martínez Valero Stadium.
Introduced at the start of the second half, Adams transformed the contest in a blistering 25-minute cameo that underlined both his growing authority at club level and the confidence gained from an outstanding Africa Cup of Nations campaign.
From the bench to the centre of the storm:
Sevilla began the night under pressure, hovering dangerously close to the relegation zone and struggling for attacking inspiration. Adams, named among the substitutes, watched the first half from the bench before being thrown into the fray at the interval, replacing Gerard Fernández.
What followed was a reminder of why Sevilla invested in the Nigerian forward.
With the hosts in control and the home crowd sensing victory, Adams flipped the script. In the 75th minute, he calmly pulled one back for Sevilla, showing composure beyond his years as he beat Elche goalkeeper Iñaki Peña, on loan from Barcelona, to reignite the contest.
As the clock ticked into stoppage time and Elche clung to their lead, Sevilla won a penalty. The moment belonged to Adams.
In the second minute of added time, the striker stepped up and thundered his spot-kick into the roof of the net, completing his brace and silencing the Manuel Martínez Valero. Sevilla had rescued a point, but more importantly, rediscovered a forward capable of changing games on his own.
AFCON momentum meets La Liga reality
The goals took Adams’ La Liga tally to five goals and two assists in 15 league appearances this season, numbers that reflect a forward steadily finding his feet in one of Europe’s most demanding leagues.
That confidence was forged on a bigger stage.
At the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, Adams enjoyed a breakthrough tournament with the Super Eagles of Nigeria. He finished the competition with 2 goals and 2 assists in 7 matches, playing a decisive role as Nigeria claimed the bronze medal.
The Super Eagles sealed third place by defeating Egypt 4–2 on penalties after a tense goalless draw in the 3rd place match, another high-pressure scenario that hardened Adams’ edge and sharpened his belief.
Sevilla’s survival push finds a new spark
For Sevilla, the draw in Elche could prove pivotal. After 20 league matches, every point carries weight in their battle for stability, and Adams’ intervention nudged the club further away from immediate relegation danger.
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Beyond the numbers, his performance offered something equally valuable: momentum.
A striker returning from international duty often needs time to recalibrate. Adams needed just 45 minutes.
Fresh from AFCON, fuelled by confidence, and now delivering in decisive moments, Akor Adams is no longer just adapting to La Liga; he is beginning to impose himself. For Sevilla and Nigeria alike, that evolution could not be coming at a better time.
