Entering the studio for Justice Ezi's debut play Last Goal Wins, the action is already underway. Charlton Athletic's Victory and Youssef are in Nigeria, vying for the last two spots on the country's World Cup squad, performing drills while their buoyant coach, played by Jerome Ngonadi, urges audience members to take penalties. One spectator misses spectacularly, but the production hits the mark.
A Debut That Asks Big Questions
Part of the Ryan Calais Cameron season—the Olivier-nominated playwright selected three early-career Black and Global Majority writers for financial backing and mentorship—Ezi proves a clear talent. The play explores racism, belonging, and the sometimes-shadowy business of sport through the experiences of three men, focusing on their relationships to their Nigerian heritage.
Striker Victory, portrayed by a heartbreakingly frantic Benjamin Akintuyosi, sees this as his last chance to play for Nigeria and change his young family's life. Goalkeeper Youssef, played by Alexander Lobo Moreno, is more outwardly concerned with social media, his aloof ex-footballer father, and a potential offer from Morocco, his mother's birth country. When Michael, a wealthy white Arsenal star who left Nigeria at five, unexpectedly joins the trial—played with breezy privilege by Cameron Forrest—discussions of who deserves a place revolve as much around speaking Igbo or cooking pounded yam as scoring or saving goals.
Well-Paced and Funny
Well-paced and plotted, though slightly unwieldy toward the end, Ezi's script is extremely funny. Michael is described as a "skinny, flat white," there are bleakly comic swipes at England's racist fans, and many jokes rooted in Nigerian culture. The depiction of gameplay is bold, and director Kalungi Ssebandeke does remarkably in the small space with excellent movement work by Gabrielle Nimo. The final selection match, with pulse-racing sound and lighting and two suspended goals that turn green when someone scores, is genuinely nail-biting.
Nuanced and Thought-Provoking
Ezi does not offer neat answers. Even the morally questionable hiring decisions of Nigeria's assistant manager Zanza Azuka, played with swaggering relish by Kossim Osseni, have arguable merits. The play's nuances make it as challenging and thought-provoking as it is entertaining and poignant. Last Goal Wins runs at Broadway, Catford until 12 July.
