After forming part of the Young Boys squad that won the 2017–18 Swiss Super League, the first league title for the Swiss club in 32 years, Kasim Nuhu marked a historic Bundesliga debut as a starter for his new TSG Hoffenheim on Friday.
The Friday night of 24 August 2018 is a day to remember and regret for many years to come for the 23-year old Ghanaian center back for two main reasons. The first reason being that he made his debut in one of Europe’s top five soccer leagues starting and playing 67 minutes and the other reason is one to regret as his side were battered 3-1 by the almighty Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena. The Black Stars defender was substituted with German defender Kevin Akpoguma.
To refresh the memories. Isaac Vorsah the former gangling Black Stars defender appeared in 105 Bundesliga matches for the same club but current Empoli midfield enforcer Afriyie Acquah failed to make a single first team appearance at the Die Kraichgauer when he joined them on loan from Parma in the 2012/13 season.
Nuhu was deployed at the left side of the three-man Hoffenheim defence at the Allianz Arena alongside Kevin Vogt and Bicakcic.
He has started well in Germany but the bigger challenge is to continue commanding starting place regularly.
Having played for Real Mallorca in the lower divisions in Spain and tasted Switzerland’s top level football with Young Boys Nuhu had never met an opponent as historical and huge as Bayern on a big occasion like Friday’s and Nuhu didn’t disappoint. One block made from a Jerome Boateng shot in the first period was one of his highlights in the game and made couple of clearances from Bayern’s dangerous balls into the the Hoffenheim box.
For manager Julina Nagelsmann to start the new Ghana recruit with zero experience in a top league like the Bundesliga was not imagined. It was not imagined at all when one considers the fact that the season’s opener was an away game at Bayern, winners of the league for the last six editions.
But it was a Nuhu day. Don’t get things wrong. Nagelsmann knew exactly what he was doing. He could have instead started the familiar face Akpoguma in Nuhu’s place but the manager decided to hand the Ghanaian the football biggest test of his life. A start at the Allianz Arena, where Bayern have won 9 of their 28 league titles, was certainly a massive thing for the Ghanaian.