Achimpen, crowned "Half of Henan's Sky"

Reporter Lu Mi reports Counterattack, counterattack, and once again counterattack. Henan Jiu Zu Dukang secured a 5-2 away win against Wuhan Three Towns, overcoming a team of equal strength with authentic performance. Achimpen clearly became the key figure in this counterattack, scoring twice and assisting once, raising his season goal count to 14.

Although the saying "Achimpen in his contract year is unstoppable" has long existed in Chinese football circles, this season his heading statistics have notably improved, with an impressive seven headed goals. His breakout form this season is the result of both personal effort and team adjustments. The arrival of coach Ramos further ignited his potential.

In the past two months, Henan has endured a grueling schedule competing on two fronts, testing every player and challenging coach Ramos’s leadership. During this period, Henan faced back-to-back matches against league leaders Shanghai Shenhua, with Achimpen playing a starring role. Over five consecutive games, he scored seven goals and repeatedly scored with headers—a skill he was not originally known for—becoming the pivotal player during this tough stretch.

At that time, Henan was still hovering near the relegation zone, but thanks to the renewed spark between Achimpen and the forward line, confidence in the team’s survival grew. Especially after beating Beijing Guoan in league play, people began to imagine a grand showdown between Henan and Beijing Guoan in the December FA Cup final in Suzhou.

In a previous exclusive interview with this newspaper, Achimpen discussed the significant rise in his headed goals this year. He said, “I’m not a traditional center forward; I’m usually at a height disadvantage. Scoring with headers is only possible because my teammates deliver the ball to the right spots. What I need to do is appear at the right place at the right time. People often say I’m not tall or don’t jump far, but aerial duels in football aren’t just about height.”

“Being in the right place at the right time” sounds simple, but Achimpen has had to study his teammates’ passing habits repeatedly in training to anticipate where the ball will land during matches. Even a half step forward or a slight adjustment in the air can be the difference in scoring. Honestly, Achimpen didn’t expect to score so many headers this season. Early on, the team’s scoring difficulties forced the forwards to find solutions. Whenever a teammate’s cross curved through the air, he always managed to seize that fleeting moment amid the crowd.

Regarding his heading efficiency, coach Ramos has not focused much on special heading drills during regular training. “We haven’t done dedicated heading practice with him, but he has executed our tactical discipline well. For example, his positioning during set pieces, his running routes in both positional and counterattack plays, and his speed advantage fit perfectly with our tactical system. We all believe that countless successful combinations in training will bear fruit in matches. He’s fast, reads the game well, and times his runs correctly. I ask him to leverage his strengths and work hard to turn those into results.”

Besides his seven headed goals, Achimpen also created seven penalties and scored four goals from set pieces. These stats reflect his precise control over the attacking third and his seamless cooperation with Cardoso and Nazario. This not only broke his previous scoring records but also proved his integration into Henan’s tactical system.

However, Achimpen never credits pure speed or physicality alone; instead, he emphasizes the strategy of troubling opponents. “I’m always trying to break into the opponent’s penalty area, where every touch and change of direction can cause defenders to make mistakes.” Previously, Achimpen was a lone hero charging forward alone; now, his role within Henan’s system goes beyond scoring — it’s the “team gear effect.”

Looking back to the start of the year, Henan spent most of the time struggling near the relegation zone. The forward line’s drought and defensive lapses placed Henan in an undeserved position, and Achimpen faced his biggest challenge since joining the Chinese Super League last year. Now, with Ramos’s arrival, everything has returned to the right track.

Ramos said: “When I arrived in May, I held meetings with Bella and Achimpen to review the issues he had before joining Henan. Mainly, lack of confidence, not fitting into the team system, and shooting accuracy. He listened humbly and accepted our feedback, then worked hard in training to improve his weaknesses. His excellent current form is the reward for that effort. He trains seriously, his positioning is more reasonable, and as he scores more, his confidence naturally grows. He trusts the coach and values his own hard work, which is why he is performing so well now.”