Yunus Akgun has finally scored his first goal for Leicester City, but he still has significant progress to make to meet the high expectations of Enzo Maresca.

Akgun, on loan from Galatasaray, netted his inaugural goal for Leicester in their convincing 3-0 victory over Birmingham in the FA Cup, propelling them into the last 16. His goal, coming five months into his tenure with the club, marked a notable contribution in an overall enhanced performance in the game’s second half.

Akgun’s energy off the ball and threat with it in possession during the second half exemplified what Maresca is seeking from him.

While the goal was a moment of joy for Yunus, Maresca has emphasized that this is just the beginning. The City manager believes Akgun is capable of much more, especially considering his performance in the latter half of the match.

Maresca commented on Akgun’s performance, noting his potential for improvement, especially given his adjustment period after a long injury and transitioning from a different country. While acknowledging his progress, Maresca stressed that Akgun can deliver much more consistently.

The improvement wasn’t just seen in Yunus; the entire team elevated their game in the second half, a shift necessary after a first half where Leicester heavily relied on goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk.

Maresca wasn’t surprised by the initial struggles, given the significant lineup changes he made, with Hamza Choudhury being the only player retained from the previous match against Ipswich. The half-time substitutions, including Ricardo Pereira, James Justin, and Kasey McAteer, played a pivotal role in turning the game around.

Reflecting on the first half, Maresca remained composed, having anticipated the initial difficulties due to the lack of regular game time for many of the players. He credited the team’s better ball control and passing in the second half for the improved performance, moving away from the quick loss of possession seen earlier in the game.