For the young centre-back, who is on loan from Liverpool FC, it was an eventful evening that began with a costly mistake and ended with a memorable personal milestone. The 19,840 spectators at the Estadi Ciutat de València witnessed an extraordinary finale, with three goals scored deep into stoppage time.
Early mistake puts Ndukwe in the spotlight
After two substitute appearances against FC Barcelona and Villarreal, Ndukwe was handed his first start. Head coach Luís Castro selected the young Austrian alongside Adrián de la Fuente in central defence, but just 13 minutes into the match, the teenager found himself at the centre of attention for all the wrong reasons.
An underhit backpass towards goalkeeper Mathew Ryan was intercepted by Robbie Ure. The Scottish striker rounded the Australian goalkeeper before slotting the ball into the empty net to give Sevilla the lead.
The visitors were comfortably the better side throughout the first half. Youssouf Fofana, in particular, caused problems for Levante’s defence with his powerful forward runs. Sevilla looked dangerous with their direct attacking play and could easily have extended their advantage before the interval.
After the restart, Miguel Sierra struck the crossbar before Félix Correia doubled Sevilla’s lead in the 54th minute, finishing off an assist from Ure. The goal was initially ruled out for offside but was eventually awarded following a VAR review.
Levante, however, responded almost immediately. Just three minutes later, Iván Romero pulled a goal back after being set up by Roger Brugué. The hosts began to play with greater confidence, while Sevilla increasingly focused on protecting their narrow advantage.
Three goals in a remarkable stoppage-time finale
The real drama began after the 90-minute mark. In the second minute of added time, Adrián de la Fuente produced a superb volley from the edge of the penalty area to bring Levante level at 2-2.
But Sevilla were not finished. Isaac Romero restored the visitors’ lead in the 95th minute with a powerful long-range strike. His celebrations in front of the home supporters proved costly, however, as the forward received a second yellow card and was sent off.
With a numerical advantage, Levante threw everything forward in search of another equaliser. Ndukwe joined the attack and eventually delivered the decisive moment in the tenth minute of stoppage time. Following another effort from De la Fuente, Sevilla goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos produced two saves in quick succession, but the Austrian defender reacted quickest to the second rebound and converted from close range to make it 3-3.
The dramatic equaliser went some way towards redeeming Ndukwe’s earlier mistake and earned his side a valuable point in their battle to avoid relegation.
Impressive passing accuracy, mixed record in duels
Overall, Ndukwe’s performance was a mixture of positives and negatives. Despite the costly error, the 1.98-metre-tall centre-back also produced several encouraging defensive contributions. He registered 94 touches, making him one of Levante’s most involved players.
Apart from his early mistake, the Austrian was particularly assured in possession. He completed 73 of his 81 passes, achieving an impressive 90 per cent success rate, and delivered eight passes into the attacking third.
His record in individual duels was less convincing. He won two of his four ground duels and, despite his considerable height, came out on top in only four of eight aerial challenges.
The statistics reflected a relatively balanced encounter. Levante registered slightly more attempts on goal, leading the shot count 20-18, but Sevilla held the advantage in expected goals, with an xG figure of 2.53 compared to the hosts’ 1.95.
From Austria Vienna to the U17 World Cup and Liverpool
Ndukwe’s career has progressed rapidly over the past twelve months. Born in Vienna, he joined Austria Vienna’s academy at the age of seven and worked his way through the youth ranks before establishing himself with the club’s reserve side, the Young Violets, in Austria’s second division.
He attracted international attention at the 2025 FIFA U17 World Cup in Qatar. An important figure in Austria’s defence, Ndukwe played a significant role in the national team’s remarkable run to the final, where they were eventually beaten by Portugal.
His performances caught the attention of several major European clubs. In January 2026, Liverpool FC secured an option to sign the promising defender, who completed his move to England that summer. Before leaving Austria, Ndukwe had also made his Austrian Bundesliga debut in May, featuring for Austria Vienna in the Vienna derby against Rapid.
However, his arrival at Liverpool was complicated by administrative difficulties. Ndukwe had not accumulated enough points to qualify for a British work permit, leaving him temporarily ineligible to play for the Reds.
As a result, a season-long loan move to Levante was arranged at the end of August, giving the young defender an opportunity to gain valuable experience at the highest level of Spanish football.
Levante still searching for consistency
The draw against Sevilla leaves Levante with six points from seven league matches, placing them 17th in the La Liga standings. Although the season is still in its early stages, it has been a difficult start for the Valencia side. Levante will need to produce more consistent results in the coming weeks if they are to put some distance between themselves and the relegation zone.
For Ndukwe, the priority in Valencia is regular playing time. Appearances in a top European league such as La Liga could also help him move closer to meeting the requirements for a British work permit, an obstacle that prevented him from playing for Liverpool during the summer.
With his first start and dramatic late equaliser, Ndukwe has certainly strengthened his case for further opportunities under Castro. More importantly, he demonstrated the character to recover from an early setback and keep fighting until the very last minute.
