Touchline Sport
James Abankwah picked a fairly decent opponent for his first Serie A goal. The Republic of Ireland defender headed Udinese in front against Inter at San Siro on Monday night, meeting Unai Gómez’s delivery after nine minutes and finding the corner.
Your first Serie A goal is memorable enough. Doing it against Inter at San Siro saves you having to add much to the story. Udinese made the night even better seven minutes later when Jurgen Ekkelenkamp put them 2-0 ahead and, for a while, Inter looked genuinely rattled.
That didn’t last. Carlos Augusto pulled one back before Nicolò Barella levelled before half-time, and once Inter got going after the break Udinese struggled to slow them down. Marcus Thuram completed the comeback, Francesco Pio Esposito and Ange-Yoan Bonny stretched the lead further and Idrissa Gueye’s late goal only brought Udinese back to 5-3.
They left Milan with nothing, but Abankwah still had plenty to take from the night. The 22-year-old is back at Udinese after two seasons on loan at Watford and has worked his way into Kosta Runjaic’s side. Christian Kabasele spoke earlier this month about the difference in the player who came back from England.
“He came back more mature.”
Kabasele also said Abankwah had earned his place in the starting XI, and regular football at Watford appears to have done him no harm. He made 32 Championship appearances last season, giving him a full campaign of senior football before heading back to Italy.
The road to Udine began properly at St Patrick’s Athletic. Abankwah joined Pat’s from Cherry Orchard in 2019 and moved through the age groups quickly, winning an U15 league-and-cup double in his first season before lifting the U19 league title the following year while playing three years above his age group.
By 17, he was already playing senior football. Abankwah made 13 first-team appearances during the 2021 season and featured as Pat’s beat Bohemians in the FAI Cup final at the Aviva Stadium. Udinese signed him a few months later, although he stayed in Inchicore until the summer to finish his Leaving Cert before moving to Italy. Not exactly a standard end to sixth year.
There have been a few changes of scenery since, but the time in England gave him what most young defenders need more than anything else: games. Watford gave him plenty of them last season and he has returned to Udinese looking far more settled at senior level.
Ireland have started giving him opportunities as well. Abankwah made his senior debut against North Macedonia in March before featuring against Grenada, Qatar and Canada during the summer. A first Serie A goal against Inter is another nice addition.
Udinese host Cagliari on Saturday, and Abankwah will be hoping the first few weeks of his return to Italy are the start of something a bit more permanent this time around.
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