Emmanuel Afriyie Mario Sabbi couldn’t hide his joy after netting his debut Major League Soccer goal during Vancouver Whitecaps’ 2-0 win over Colorado Rapids. The 27-year-old forward, born in Italy and raised in the United States to Ghanaian parents, joined the MLS side in February from French outfit Le Havre.

After a challenging start due to injury, Sabbi finally made his mark in his third appearance. His moment came in the 38th minute, when Ali Ahmed sliced through the Rapids’ defense with a precise through ball, allowing Sabbi to unleash a powerful left-footed strike into the net.

Earlier in the match, Brian White had given the Whitecaps the lead in the 19th minute, capitalizing on a smart pass from Sebastien Berhalter. Sabbi’s overall performance earned him the Man of the Match award before being substituted in the 70th minute by Cameroonian forward Jean Claude Ngando.

“It’s been a rocky start, obviously, with the injury,” Sabbi admitted post-match. “But I’ve just been level-headed, talking to the boys. The coaching staff has been helping me tremendously since I’ve been here. It’s been an interesting two-and-a-half months, but their support showed today.”

Though Sabbi holds American citizenship and has made one appearance for the U.S. national team, he remains eligible to represent Ghana at the senior level — a decision fans on both sides will be watching closely.