'He's a good finisher' - Chelsea coach not surprised Ezenwata scored a brace on U18s debut

Chelsea U18s head coach of Nigerian descent, Hassan Sulaiman has admitted that he is not surprised that Chizaram Ezenwata helped himself to two goals during the first half of his side's 5-2 loss to Brighton & Hove in an U18 Premier League fixture at Cobham on Saturday.

Although Sulaiman was disappointed to see his team lose their opening match of the campaign, he has singled out schoolboy striker Ezenwata for special praise.

After some impressive performances during pre-season preparations, including a brace against Manchester United, Ezenwata, son of former Gombe United star Ndubuisi Ezenwata, has been fast-tracked into Chelsea's U18 setup.

He didn't look out of place in his first competitive game for the U18s, and could have bagged a hat-trick in the opening forty-five minutes if not for the woodwork.

Widely recognized as one of the top players in his age group across England, Ezenwata netted over 100 goals and provided more than 40 assists in all competitions during his two seasons at Charlton Athletic before transferring to Chelsea in August 2023 following a successful trial.

Hassan Sulaiman has labeled Ezenwata a good finisher and predicted a bright future for the exciting center forward. 

Speaking to Chelsea's official website, he said: "He [Ezenwata] is determined, focused and trains hard every day. It’s no surprise that he got his rewards with those two goals and I’m sure he will score more over the course of the season.

"He’s a good finisher and I’m really pleased for Chizzy. He represents the future and the potential that this young squad has. I am looking forward to seeing the progress throughout the team."

Tri-national player Ezenwata, who is also eligible for England and Cameroon, has agreed a scholarship deal with Chelsea ahead of the 2025-2026 season. 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

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