Ghanaian striker Samuel Afum impresses as Young Boys secure biggest win in Europe

Published on: 19 September 2014
Ghanaian striker Samuel Afum impresses as Young Boys secure biggest win in Europe
Afum celebrating with his team-mates in the match played at home

Ghanaian striker Samuel Afum was instrumental as his Swiss side Young Boys cruised to a 5-0 victory against shell-shocked Group I visitors Slovan Bratislava to begin their UEFA Europa League bid in style.

The former Hearts of Oak striker played for 70 minutes before he was substituted in the match.

But he played a key role in securing Young Boys' biggest victory in European competition in the history of the Swiss side.

Goals from Jan Lecjaks, Renato Steffen, Raphaël Nuzzolo and Adrian Nikci were punctuated by three Slovan strikes against the woodwork before Guillaume Hoarau rounded off the scoring.

This ensures that the Swiss side posted their biggest home success in a UEFA competition while extending their winning run in European home matches to five.

Lecjaks rode his luck to open the scoring, exchanging passes with Samuel Afum before his cross ricocheted back, allowing him to finish via the inside of the post.

Juraj Halenár then served warning of Slovan's long-range threat by rattling the post with a brilliant strike, shortly before DuÃ…¡an PerniÃ…¡, his goalkeeper, denied Moreno Costanzo from an acute angle.

However, Young Boys immediately notched their second as Florent Hadergjonaj launched a cross from the right and Steffen stole a march on Slovan defender Erik ?ikoÃ…¡ to loop his header in. Erik Grendel could have pulled one back before half-time, but his strike from distance cracked the bar.

Nuzzolo extended the lead in the second half as he latched onto a Steffen pass and ignored Afum inside of him to slot in for his fifth UEFA competition goal.

Slovan were not done hitting woodwork, with Kristián Kol?ák the next to try his luck, but it was not to be the Slovakian team's night. Indeed, Nikci got the fourth with a deflected effort from the edge of the area before fellow substitute Hoarau rounded off the scoring from a straight punt upfield.

Affum was substituted in the 70th by Hoarau who went on to score the winner.

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