Saturday afternoon marked a big day for Chelsea's Josh Acheampong, with the 18-year-old Cobham graduate putting up a stellar performance.
However, it was a highly significant afternoon for the English- born of Ghanaian descent - who was arguably Chelsea's best defender against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
The round 20 encounter was the senior debut for the centre- back, with the youngster acquitting himself well—and was arguably the Blues’ best defender.
"It was a really enjoyable game and my first Premier League start,’ said Acheampong who joined Chelsea as an Under-8.
"I’ve worked a lot for it, and overall it was really enjoyable, but it’s unfortunate that we couldn’t come away with the three points."
Despite the fierce atmosphere of Selhurst Park, Acheampong looked calm and confident throughout the match. His stats reflected his influence on the game, as he completed more passes and spent more time in possession than any other player on the pitch.
"That’s one of the things I like to do when I play,’ he explained.
"I like to be on the ball and especially as I got more and more into the game and more confident, it helped me to be on the ball more.
What stood out most, though, was his passing range, as he spread the ball well to his teammates—well enough at times.
‘I don’t really think about my opponent, I just try to think about my own game. I block out the crowd and having played in big stadiums before, that helped me."
While Acheampong made his senior debut in last month’s Conference League clash against FC Astana, he admitted that he enjoyed the challenge of the Premier League, while also crediting his defensive partner for helping him through the experience.
"It felt like a big step up physically,’ he said. ‘But you get used to it training with my teammates. Levi [Colwill] helped me during, before, and after the game – even telling me to clap the fans. It’s great to have him around.
"I always try to work for more and more, and hopefully there are more opportunities to come."
By: Pascal Amoah
