Nigerian Players Abroad: Look who’s back!
Lookman returned to action with a bang for Atalanta in the Serie A as the Nerazzurri played a 1-0 win over Genoa at the Gewiss Stadium.
The forward was shown the first yellow card of the game in the 42nd minute for a dangerous challenge on Mattia Bani.
Not deterred by the caution, Lookman scored the only goal of the game in the 62nd minute to hand Atalanta a crucial win.
Samu Omorodion (Alaves)
The on-loan Atletico Madrid striker scored Deportivo Alaves goal in their 1-1 stalemate against Villarreal at the Estadio de la Ceramica.
The Spanish player of Nigerian descent found the net just three minutes after the restart of the game before he was taken off for Kike Garcia with just two minutes to end of the game.
Omorodion’s strike against the Yellow Submarine was his third of the season.
France
Moses Simon (Nantes)
Simon continues his impressive form as he guided Nantes to a convincing 2-0 win over Montpellier in the Ligue 1 at the Stade de la Beaujoire.
The winger started a fine counterattack for the home side and provided the assist for Abdoul Kader Bamba which the player easily converted.
The assist was Simon’s fifth this season while scoring two goals from nine matches.
The Netherlands
Chuba Akpom (Ajax)
Akpom made a late cameo as Ajax suffered a 4-3 defeat away to FC Utrecht at the Stadion Galgenwaard in the Eredivisie on Sunday.
The forward was introduced in the 90th minute but could not make any impact as Ajax suffered their fourth defeat of the season.
Bobby Adekanye (Go Ahead Eagles)
Adekanye was in action for 78 minutes as Go Ahead Eagles and Sparta Rotterdam shared the spoils at the De Adelaarshorst.
Adekanye made way for Sylla Sow as the home side went all out in search of the three points but had to settle for a point after a goalless encounter.
Turkey
Kenneth Omeruo (Kasimpasa)
Omeruo was solid rock as Kasimpasa snatched all three points away from home against Sivasspor at the Yeni 4 Eylul Stadi.
The defender ensured the visitors kept a clean sheet which helped them claim the vital win to move them into fifth position in the Super Lig.
Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbache)
One of the most in-form right back in Europe, Osayi-Samuel grabbed his third goal of the season in Fenerbache’s 4-1 win over Hatayspor at the Ulker Stadyumu Fenerbahce Sukru Saracoglu Spor Kompleksi on Sunday.
The defender is enjoying life under manager Ismail Kartal, whose side currently sit top of the Super Lig with nine wins from as many games.
Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Hatayspor)
The midfielder was on the receiving this time as Hatayspor were humiliated 4-1 against Fenerbache Hatayspor at the Ulker Stadyumu Fenerbahce Sukru Saracoglu Spor Kompleksi.
Dele-Bashiru was shown the first yellow card of the game in the 20th minute after a reckless tackle on Ferdi Kadioglu.
Saturday
England
Iheanacho, Ndidi (Leicester)
The duo Kelechi Iheanacho and Wilfred Ndidi played important roles in helping Leicester City to a remarkable 3-1 comeback victory against Swansea City in the Championship.
While Ndidi completed 90 minutes in the encounter, Iheanacho came in as a substitute for Ricardo Pereira and barely spent enough time on the pitch before netting the Foxes’ third goal of the game and his fifth in 12 games so far this season.
Frank Onyeka (Brentford)
Off from scoring his first international goal Onyeka continued his impressive start to the season and put on a fine display as Brentford recorded a comfortable 3-0 win over struggling Burnley at the Gtech Community Stadium in the Premier League.
The midfielder was shown a yellow card by referee Josh Smith in the 53rd minute before being replaced by Saman Ghoddos with six minutes to the end of the game.
Aina, Awoniyi (Forest)
While Taiwo Awoniyi remained sidelined with injury versatile defender, Ola Aina, returned to action on Saturday as Nottingham Forest played a 2-2 draw with Luton Town at the City Ground.
Aina came in for Serge Aurier with two minutes of action left as Forest looked to preserve their slender lead before a late goal from Elijah Adebayo.
Elijah Adebayo (Luton)
Adebayo scored a late goal to help Luton Town come from two-goal down and earn a point much to the disappointment of the home crowds among the 29,361 at the City Ground.
In search of an equaliser, manager Rob Edwards sent in Adebayo in place of Tahith Chong and the forward scored in the 92nd minute to help Luton take a crucial point away from home.
Dominic Solanke (Bournemouth)
Solanke’s early goal was not enough as Bournemouth suffered a 2-1 defeat to Wolves in the early fixture of the EPL on Saturday.
The English player of Nigeria descent has been in fine form so far this season and his goal at the Vitality Stadium was his fourth from nine appearances. The 26-year-old was substituted with just five minutes on the clock and was replaced with Kieffer Moore.
Terem Moffi (Nice)
Moffi was unable to add to his five-goal contribution (three goals and two assists) as OGC Nice claimed a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Marseille in France’s Ligue 1.
While he could not get on the scoresheet, the forward displayed a commendable performance and was torn in the opposition’s defence with only a goal lacking.
His resilient attitude saw him get booked in the 79th minute and was substituted after for Evann Guessand, who eventually scored the only goal of the encounter.
Victor Boniface (Leverkusen)
Boniface was not on the scoresheet on Saturday but assisted Jeremie Frimpong’s goal as Bayer Leverkusen defeated Wolfsburg 2-1 at the Volkswagen Arena.
The 22-year-old’s assist in the 13th minute was his third in the league season.
Spain
Sadiq Umar (Sociedad)
Umar continued to wait for his first La Liga start this season as he made a late appearance in Real Sociedad’s hard-fought 1-0 win over Mallorca.
Umar came in for Mikel Oyarzabal in the 86th minute but could do little to add to the goal tally. The striker is yet to open his goal account this season.
Asisat Oshoala (Barcelona)
In Spain, Oshoala’s standout performance was highlighted by her two goals, which powered Barcelona to a convincing 6-1 victory against Granada.
Before the win on Saturday, the Super Falcons forward had failed to score in three consecutive games for the Blaugrana.
Oshoala’s first goal came in the 80th minute to put Barcelona 5-0 ahead before grabbing her second and Barcelona’s sixth just two minutes after.
The double means she has now scored three goals in five league appearances this season.
Rasheedat Ajibade (Atletico)
Ajibade was in action as Atletico Madrid also secured a comfortable 2-0 win against Sporting Huelva.
Switzerland
Samuel Kalu (Lausanne-Sport)
Kalu scored the opener for Lausanne-Sport in their 2-2 draw with Stade-Lausanne-Ouchy at the Stade Olympique de la Pontaise in Lausanne on Saturday to score his first goal in over two years, putting an end to a terrible period in his career.
The former Girondins Bordeaux playmaker struck a magnificent free-kick that caught goalkeeper Dany Da Silva’s pants down in the 29th minute of the encounter.
The goal was Kalu’s first since he found the net for Bordeaux in their 3-3 away draw at Montpellier on September 22, 2021.
Scotland
Cyriel Dessers (Rangers)
Dessers found the net for the second time in the Scottish Premiership to guide Rangers to an impressive 4-0 win over Hibernian at the Ibrox Stadium.
The striker scored the fourth goal in the 79th minute but was replaced shortly after with Danilo coming on in his stead.
Turkey
Ibrahim Olawoyin (Rizespor)
Olawoyin couldn’t help his team as they suffered a 3-1 defeat to Kayserispor at the Kadir Has Sehir Stadyumu.
The midfielder played the entire 90 minutes but could do little to help Rizespor earn a point away from home.
ABelgium
Ejuke, Yusuf (Royal Antwerp)
Chidera Ejuke and Alhassan Yusuf came on as a second-half substitute in Royal Antwerp’s 3-2 defeat to Sporting Charleroi in the Belgian Pro League at the Stade du Pays de Charleroi.
While Ejuke came on for Gyrano Ker, his compatriot Yusuf was sent in to replace Owen Wijndal. But players could do nothing to stop Antwerp from suffering their second defeat of the
season.
