IRISH TEENAGER James Abankwah earned praise after making his full debut for Udinese against Juventus on Sunday.
The 19-year-old played the first 59 minutes before having to come off with a dead leg, and Federico Chiesa subsequently scored the only goal of the game in the 68th minute.
Afterwards, manager Andrea Sottil singled out the former St Patrick’s Athletic player and fellow teenage defender Axel Guessand for compliments.
“With the selection problems we had, we handed full debuts to two lads born in 2004 [James Abankwah and Axel Guessand] – two highly promising lads the club has invested in,” Sottil told the club’s official website.
“They deserved this chance and I must say they did well. The same goes for [Nicolo] Cocetta. Regardless of the result, it’s wonderful to see these 18-year-old kids out there holding their own against Juve’s stars. They are the future of Udinese.
“I came in here with my ideas and the team has made constant improvement in terms of our football, our identity and our approach to games. There are lots of solid foundations and we’ll put a strong squad together. We’ve planted a seed. We’ll build on these 46 points and most of these lads will be staying with us.”
Udinese had been pushing for Europe at one stage but tapered off towards the end of the season and had to settle for a 12th-place finish.
“The lads gave everything they had,” reflected Sottil. “It was an emergency situation but we knew that. We managed to match a great team like Juve, despite all the difficulties. It’s a shame we couldn’t take any of our chances but I have no complaints. This team deserves plaudits for an excellent season.”
Abankwah himself added: “I’m very happy to have made my full Serie A debut. I want to thank the gaffer and all my teammates. It was a difficult game against a good team. I was very tired and I felt cramp but I just tried to do my best.”
It was the Irish underage international’s second Serie A appearance in total since joining Udinese, having come on as an 86th-minute substitute in the 3-0 loss to Bologna back in April.
Although he was not in the matchday squad to face Juventus, fellow Irish youngster Festy Ebosele has also enjoyed some similarly encouraging moments this season, making four starts and 17 Serie A appearances in total.
The duo are among a number of Irish players who have sought to try their luck abroad in the wake of Brexit regulations preventing youngsters from moving to Britain before the age of 18, with Inter Milan’s Kevin Zefi and AC Milan’s Cathal Heffernan among those who are highly regarded in underage circles.
