Ukrainian striker Popov leads Serie B after another goal for Empoli
Photo: Bohdan Popov is a top scorer of Serie B (x.com/EmpoliFC)
The 18-year-old Ukrainian forward of Italian club Empoli, Bohdan Popov, has once again become the main hero of his team based on Serie B match results.
The goal that saved Empoli
In the third-round match of the country's second-division championship against Spezia, the Ukrainian equalized at the beginning of the second half. In the 49th minute, Popov finished Elia's cross from the left flank and sent the ball into the opponent's goal.
The match ended in a 1-1 draw. Earlier, Spezia had taken the lead thanks to Esposito's penalty in the 18th minute.
Third consecutive scoring match
This goal became Popov's fourth of the current season. He has scored in three consecutive matches and leads the Serie B top scorers list.
The Ukrainian has 4 goals, one ahead of the nearest competitor, Finnish forward Joel Pohjanpalo of Palermo.
Match against Spezia: Numbers
Popov played 72 minutes before being substituted. During this time, he had two shots off target, won 5 of 10 aerial duels, and actively assisted the team in attack.
Italian publication La Gazzetta dello Sport recognized him as "the brightest player of the match for the home team".
Standings
After three rounds, Empoli has 4 points and occupies 9th place in the Serie B table.
The team is only three points behind the leading group of four clubs, giving them good chances to secure a spot in the upper part of the standings.
Popov's career
Bohdan Popov was born in Nizhyn and is a product of Kyiv's Dynamo academy. In July 2022, he moved to Poland, where he played for Górnik. In the summer of 2023, he became an Empoli player.
This season, the Ukrainian made his debut for the first team in the Italian Cup and recently signed a new contract with the club, valid until summer 2028.
Reaction and prospects
Local media are already comparing Popov with other young stars of Serie B. Journalists from Tuttosport write that the Ukrainian "could become the main discovery of the season" as he continues to score with amazing consistency.
After the match, the forward stated that his main goal is to help Empoli fight for a return to Serie A, where the team played last season.
