adminJosh Ajala enjoyed a memorable evening as West Ham United cruised to a 4-1 victory over Southampton in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night.
The 19-year-old was handed a starting role alongside Joel Piroe and quickly justified his selection, scoring twice to help the Hammers secure an impressive victory.
Ajala first found the net in the opening half to bring West Ham level before completing his brace in the second half to put his team ahead.
His first goal came from a Lewis Orford corner. Ajala rose above Nathan Wood and managed to direct his header beyond the Southampton goalkeeper and into the net.
However, there was some controversy surrounding the finish, with the young forward appearing to make contact with the Saints defender as he challenged for the ball.
Ajala was subsequently seen speaking to the referee, but the official decided that there was no offence and allowed the goal to stand.
Keith Hackett gives verdict on Ajala’s goal
Former FIFA-listed referee Keith Hackett has now offered his assessment of the incident and believes the referee made the correct call.
Hackett felt the contact between Ajala and Wood was not sufficient to justify cancelling the goal.
Speaking exclusively to West Ham Zone, he said: “Not enough for me, to disallow the goal.”
He added: “The referee judged this one correctly, the player goes to ground too easily.”
That assessment matched the decision made on the pitch, and Ajala went on to make the evening even more memorable.
The teenager completed his brace and produced a performance that could prove extremely significant for his development in East London.
Ajala’s impressive night continued
Ajala was one of eight changes made to the West Ham starting XI following the 2-1 defeat against Charlton in their previous outing.
Rather than simply filling a squad position, however, the youngster made his opportunity count in emphatic fashion.
His second goal arrived in the 53rd minute and gave West Ham the lead after he finished a move involving Divine Mukasa.
Ajala collected the ball inside the penalty area before firing a right-footed effort from the centre of the box into the net.
His job was done shortly afterwards, with Manor Solomon replacing him in the 59th minute as West Ham looked to protect their advantage and see out the game.
Could Ajala earn a Premier League start?
The performance could give manager Nuno Espirito Santo a major selection dilemma ahead of the weekend.
West Ham need players capable of producing something different in attack, and Ajala’s display against Southampton may have shown that he deserves greater opportunities with the senior side.
The 19-year-old has now given his manager plenty to consider ahead of Saturday’s trip to Watford.
Following such an impressive performance, Ajala could potentially earn another starting opportunity as he looks to establish himself at the London Stadium.
Whether he features from the beginning or has to settle for another appearance from the bench, one thing is clear: the youngster has put himself firmly into the manager’s thoughts.
For Ajala, this could be more than just a memorable Carabao Cup night. It may prove to be the beginning of something much bigger in his West Ham career.
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