Kanu’s ex-teammate salutes Super Eagles star Ajayi after Chelsea performance

Super Eagles defender Semi Ajayi earned praise for his intelligent defending as Hull City continued their impressive Premier League start with a 2-2 draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

The centre-back played his part as the Tigers held Xabi Alonso’s side to a share of the points, keeping Hull third in the early Premier League table.

Chelsea raced into an early lead through Morgan Rogers after just seven minutes, but Hull responded spectacularly through Mohamed Belloumi, who scored twice before half-time.

João Pedro eventually restored parity for the hosts in the 66th minute, but Chelsea could not find a late winner despite sustained pressure. Ajayi was particularly important during that late push, producing a timely recovery challenge to prevent Malo Gusto from getting a clear run towards goal.

Joel Ward, the former Crystal Palace right-back and Portsmouth teammate of Nigerian legend Nwankwo Kanu, was impressed by the defender’s reading of the situation.

“Ajayi read the game very well there. It was a lovely bit of play from Chelsea to create that space, but Ajayi covered the ground well and just gave Gusto a little nudge to see it through to his goalkeeper,” he said on BBC Radio 5 Live.

The performance continued an excellent start to the season for Ajayi, who has started all four of Hull’s Premier League matches. The Nigerian has also contributed at the other end of the pitch, scoring Hull’s first goal of the campaign during their 2-0 home victory over Manchester United.

Hull’s unbeaten start has now taken them to third in the table, with Saturday’s draw against Chelsea providing another indication that they can compete with established Premier League sides.

For Ajayi, meanwhile, regular starts and impressive defensive displays are providing the perfect platform to maintain his place in the Super Eagles setup.

His ability to read danger and recover quickly against Chelsea offered another reminder of the experience and composure he brings to Hull’s backline.