Republic of Ireland defender with Ghanaian roots, James Abankwah, made a stellar debut for Watford in their 2-0 triumph over Derby County on Saturday afternoon in the English Championship.

Having joined Watford on loan from Udinese just days prior, the young and versatile defender quickly proved his worth, earning a starting spot in manager Tom Cleverley’s lineup. Stationed on the left side of a back-four system, Abankwah delivered a composed and commanding performance, contributing significantly to the team’s clean sheet.

The 19-year-old featured for 76 minutes, earning an impressive 7.0 rating before being substituted for Ryan Andrews. His presence and composure in defense were vital to Watford’s efforts.

Watford started the match strongly, with Moroccan midfielder Imran Louza opening the scoring just four minutes into the first half with a brilliant strike. The lead was doubled in the second half by Congolese midfielder Edo Kayembe, sealing a convincing 2-0 win for the visitors.

James Abankwah’s strong debut performance has set a promising tone, and he’ll be eager to build on this momentum in the games to come.