Spanish forward of Ghanaian descent, Nico Williams, delivered a sensational performance on Thursday night, scoring twice to propel Athletic Club into the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals with a 3-1 victory over AS Roma.
Trailing 2-1 from the first leg in Rome, Athletic Club needed a strong response, and Williams stepped up as the hero with a commanding display.
The 21-year-old forward opened the scoring in the 45th minute, reacting quickly to a rebound to fire his side into the lead just before halftime.
In the second half, Yuri Berchiche doubled the advantage in the 68th minute, finishing off a pass from Alex Berenguer to put the Spanish side in control.
Williams then sealed the win in the 82nd minute, netting his second goal of the night to give Athletic Club a commanding 3-0 lead. Although AS Roma pulled one back in stoppage time, it was too little, too late, as Athletic Club advanced with a 4-3 aggregate victory.
Williams’ outstanding display further cements his status as one of the most exciting young talents in European football, with Athletic Club now turning their attention to the quarter-finals.
