As Yasin Ayari followed up an absolute thunderblaster with the final goal of Sweden’s 5-1 World Cup thumping of Tunisia, some Coventry City fans would have been left wondering one thing – is that a different player?
In some ways yes, but mostly no, the Ayari who came on loan from Brighton in the summer of 2023 is the same person who managed one goal in 13 games under Mark Robins.
He managed only six starts and was unceremoniously hooked at half-time of a 2-1 loss at Ipswich Town, never to wear the Sky Blue again.
A few weeks later he was recalled by the Seagulls and shipped out to Blackburn with no-one questioning his ability, but a few wondering about his work-rate and readiness for the Championship.
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Since then positives have started to outweigh the negatives and now aged 22, with 66 Premier League matches under his belt, he is justifying the faith Brighton showed when they signed him from AIK a few months before sending him to Coventry.
Fabian Hurzeler praised his ‘resilience’ and willingness to improve last season – and in Monterrey on Sunday night the forward confirmed that development in front of a global audience.
The world’s media gushed about his two goal display and the Swedish press were just as effusive. After a game in which all eyes were on Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres, it was Ayari who stole the headlines.
Indeed Swedish TV outlet SVT Nyheter rated him man of the match, giving him a maximum 5/5 points stating: “Started the match very strongly and offered incredible shots to both 1-0 and 5-1. Was proactive and floated forward. Hit the free kick that led to 4-1.”
A 5/5 rating is ranked as ‘World Class’, while both Gyokeres and Isak were given 4/5, equatting to ‘very good’.
Former City striker Gyokeres was praised for ‘A very good effort’, while Isak – whose first season at Liverpool has been wrecked by injury – was ‘active and involved in a lot’.
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