Cameroon international Etta Eyong was handed his first starting appearance of the season for Levante in Saturday’s LaLiga meeting with Atletico Madrid at the Ciutat de València whicj ended in a 2-0 loss
Head coach Luís Castro named the 23-year-old striker in his starting lineup for the Matchday 11 encounter, rewarding his gradual progress after an injury setback.
Eyong had been building his fitness through substitute appearances in recent matches, with Castro previously indicating that the forward was not yet ready to play the full 90 minutes.
The Portuguese coach had been encouraged by the striker’s attitude during his recovery, highlighting his work ethic and concentration.
“Etta is coming on very well, he works hard and is focused. He is getting more minutes and we will see how he progresses,” Castro said.
His inclusion against Atletico represents an important milestone in his return to action, giving him an opportunity to lead Levante’s attack against Diego Simeone’s side.
Eyong’s selection comes at the expense of Petar Ratkov, who started Levante’s previous league fixture against Real Sociedad but drops to the substitutes’ bench for Saturday’s match.
