Ghanaian midfielder Frank Junior Adjei emerged as Hammarby’s unlikely hero after climbing off the bench to salvage a hard-fought draw against Belgian giants RSC Anderlecht in the first leg of their 2026/27 UEFA Europa League qualifying tie on Thursday night.
With defeat looming at the Stockholm Arena, the 22-year-old produced a decisive late intervention, scoring in the 89th minute to secure a valuable 1-1 stalemate and leave the tie finely balanced heading into the return leg.
Adjei was introduced in the 86th minute in place of Victor Lind and wasted little time making his mark. Just three minutes after entering the contest, the former Bibiani Gold Stars midfielder latched onto a low delivery from Paulos Abraham before clinically firing beyond the goalkeeper to spark celebrations among the home supporters.
Kvitteringen 🤝#Bajen pic.twitter.com/uMXb6UgXSB
— Hammarby Fotboll (@hammarbyfotboll) July 23, 2026
The Swedish Allsvenskan side had trailed for virtually the entire evening after Ukrainian forward Danylo Sikan handed Anderlecht an early advantage, stunning the 26,689 spectators inside the Stockholm Arena.
However, Adjei’s late composure ensured Hammarby avoided a frustrating home defeat and preserved their hopes of progressing to the next qualifying round ahead of the decisive second leg in Belgium.
The goal continues the Ghanaian’s encouraging campaign in Sweden, taking his tally to two goals and one assist in 13 appearances across all competitions this season. His growing influence has made him an increasingly important figure for Hammarby as they continue their domestic and European ambitions.
