Akor Adams delivered one of the biggest moments of Sevilla’s season on Sunday night, scoring a dramatic stoppage time winner to complete a vital 2-1 comeback victory over Espanyol and push the Andalusian side closer to La Liga survival.
With tension hanging heavily around the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium and Sevilla staring at another damaging result in their relegation battle, the Nigerian striker came off the bench to produce the decisive contribution just when his side needed it most.
Adams struck in the first minute of added time, collecting a pass on the edge of the area before unleashing an unstoppable curling effort into the bottom-right corner beyond helpless goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic.
The goal completed a remarkable turnaround for Sevilla, who had spent much of the evening struggling to break down a disciplined Espanyol side after falling behind midway through the second half.
More importantly, it could prove one of the defining moments in Sevilla’s fight to remain in Spain’s top flight.
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The victory lifted Sevilla to 12th place and opened a crucial three-point gap above the relegation zone heading into the final stretch of the campaign.
Adams was Introduced in the 75th minute as Sevilla chased the game, the Nigerian immediately added urgency and directness to the attack as the home side increased pressure on a tiring Espanyol defence.
The visitors had initially looked set to leave Seville with a huge result after Tyrhys Dolan fired them ahead in the 56th minute.
After a dangerous spell early in the second half, Dolan latched onto a clever lofted pass from Roberto Fernandez before drilling a low finish into the bottom left corner past Odysseas Vlachodimos.
Sevilla thought they had found an equaliser moments after half-time through Alexis Sanchez, only for VAR to rule the goal out for offside.
The home side continued to dominate possession but struggled to turn pressure into clear opportunities until defender Andres Castrin sparked belief again in the 82nd minute.
The defender surged forward unexpectedly from deep before weaving into the box and firing low beyond Dmitrovic to level the contest at 1-1.
That equaliser transformed the atmosphere inside the stadium and set the stage for Adams’ late intervention.
As seven minutes of stoppage time were added, Sevilla continued to push forward desperately, sensing the opportunity to rescue a season-threatening situation.
Picking up possession in space, Adams showed composure and power in equal measure, bending a fierce strike inside the right post to ignite wild celebrations among the Sevilla supporters.
The Nigerian was later booked during emotional scenes late in stoppage time as Sevilla held on to secure only their second league win this season after conceding first.
The club, which has spent much of the campaign battling inconsistency and pressure near the bottom half of the table, suddenly moves into the final weeks with renewed belief and breathing space above the drop zone.
