Akanji honored for dream box: “My sons will be happy with the trophy”

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Dream goal, victory, qualification for the quarter-finals, man of the match – things couldn’t have gone much better for Nati star Manuel Akanji (28) in the Champions League match against Copenhagen.

After just under five minutes, the central defender tapped the ball into the net after a corner, creating a 1-0 lead. A dream goal. Akanji explains wryly, “I saw the ball coming perfectly to my foot, tried to hit it and it went in.”

The result was that the “Citizens” left no stone unturned and – just like the first leg in Copenhagen – won 3-1.

Top marks to Akanji

Akanji played well even after his goal, completing 95 percent of his 108 passes. He received high marks from the English media for his performance – both Sky and the Daily Mail voted Akanji man of the match. And the defender also receives this award from an official side. UEFA presented him with the Player of the Match trophy after the match. The Winterthur resident himself did not expect that: “I didn’t think I would win such a prize. But it’s a good feeling to have one at home. My sons will certainly be happy with it.”

The focus is already on the next tasks that await the reigning Champions League winner. «We will see how the tournament goes and who our next opponent will be. We are confident that we can make further progress. We are among the favorites, but we also have to prove it,” Akanji explains confidently in the winner’s interview immediately after the final whistle.

Source : Blick