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Ghanaian-born Ajax midfielder, Mohammed Kudus, has become the first Ghanaian player in the history of the UEFA Champions League to have scored and provided an assist in a game, after 10 years.
He was exceptional on Wednesday, September 8, 2022, in the matchday one of the 2022 competition when Ajax walloped Scottish side Rangers 4-0, at the famous Johan Cruyff Arena, Netherlands.
This means the 11-year record set by Black Stars skipper, Andre Dede Ayew in the 2011 edition of the UEFA Champions League has been equaled.
Andre Ayew held the record as the only Ghanaian player to score and provide an assist in a single UCL match. He set the record on Wednesday, September 28, 2011, when his Olympic Marseille team defeated German side Borussia Dortmund 3-0 at the Stade Velodrome in France.
Ayew scored twice on the night with a 20th and 69th minute goals respectively and assisted former teammate Loic Remy in the 62nd minute against the run of play to record a second straight win against Dortmund having already beaten Olympiacos from Greece on Matchday one.
But 11 years on in the same month of September, 22-year-old Mohammed Kudus ensured he matched Andre Ayew’s record with his goal and the assist against Rangers.
The Black Stars player who was deployed as a ‘forced number 9’ assisted Steven Berghuis with Ajax’s second goal in the 32nd minute before scoring the third goal a minute later with a solo effort to give his side a 3-0 comfortable lead at halftime.
The hosts back from the break added the fourth goal in the 80th minute through Steven Bergwijn to hand the Scottish giants a big reality check in their first ever UEFA Champions League group game since 2010.
Mohammed Kudus lasted for 88 minutes before he was replaced by Brian Brobbey and went ahead to win the Heineken Man of the Match award.
Ajax who leads the Group A table will face Liverpool next week Tuesday on matchday two at Anfield Stadium.
