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NIGERIAN PLAYERS ABROAD:SUPER SUNDAY
Ahead of the last international break for this year, Nigerian players were on song for their various clubs abroad with new Super Eagles invitee, Tella, headlining the weekend with his first goal for Bayer Leverkusen. ABIODUN ADEWALE reports
SUNDAY
ENGLAND
AWONIYI, AINA (NOTTINGHAM FOREST)
Taiwo Awoniyi was back among the goal scorers for Forest and Ola Aina also made it a successive goal contribution for the Tricky Trees but it wasn’t enough to prevent a 3-2 defeat against West Ham United. Awoniyi made it 1-1 for Forest on the stroke of halftime, turning in Morgan Gibbs-White’s parried shot into an empty net while Aina provided their second goal for Anthony Elanga. While they were hoping to get away with a point, they were undone by a late header from Souček.
BASSEY, IWOBI (FULHAM)
Defender Calvin Bassey and midfielder Alex Iwobi continued to toil for Fulham in the EPL on Sunday as the Cottagers fell to a 3-1 defeat at Aston Villa. Both players started the game with significant contributions but it wasn’t enough to prevent a back-to-back defeat in the league as they languish above the relegation zone with just six points keeping them safe.
FRANK ONYEKA (BRENTFORD)
Onyeka was a second half substitute as his Brentford side were thrashed 3-0 by Liverpool at Anfield. It was his ninth appearance of the season with an assist to his credit so far this season.
SPAIN
SAMUEL OMORODION (ALAVES)
The ‘New Samu’ in Spain, Omorodion sparked for Alaves with a goal against FC Barcelona but they were beaten 2-1 at home by the Catalans. Omorodion gave Alaves the lead as early as kick off before his misses and others were punished by two goals from Robert Lewandoski. The Spanish U-21 striker has four goals so far this season.
FRANCE
MOSES SIMON (NANTES)
Another impressive performance for Simon with a goal against Matz but just like some of his counterparts in the EPL, it wasn’t enough to prevent the Canaries from losing 2-1. Simon made it 1-1 after the home side had taken the lead before finishing it off with an 85th minute goal to win the game. Moses now has three league goals and five assists to his name this season.
GERMANY
TELLA, BONIFACE (BAYER LEVERKUSEN)
Bayer Leverkusen continue to feel the impact of the Nigerian players in their team as new Super Eagles invitee, Nathan Tella, marked his invitation with his first Bundesliga goal. The 24-year-old rounded up scoring in their 4-0 win against Union Berlin while in-form man Boniface fired blanks and was taken off in the closing stages. Leverkusen maintain their lead in the German topflight with 31 points from 11 games.
ITALY
TYRONNE EBUEHI (EMPOLI)
Although not in the Eagles squad for the World Cup qualifiers, Ebuehi, a second half substitute provided an assist in his 25 minutes involvement as Empoli stole a 1-0 victory over Napoli at the Diego Maradona Stadium. The visitors had already frustrated their hosts and were seemingly running away with a goalless draw until Ebuehi set up Ukraine’s Viktor Kovalenko for Empoli’s goal in stoppage time. The victory leaves them one point above the relegation zone.
ADEMOLA LOOKMAN (ATALANTA)
There wasn’t much to do for Lookman in their game on Sunday as he was taken off at halftime in their 1-1 draw away at Udinese.
SUCCESS, OKOYE (UDINESE)
Striker Isaac Success played for 82 minutes while goalkeeper Maduka Okoye watched from the bench again as Udinese were held to a 1-1 draw by visiting Atalanta.
THE NETHERLANDS
CHUBA AKPOM (AJAX)
Akpom continues to bask in his newly found form at Ajax, bagging another league goal in their 2-2 draw away at Almere City. Akpom had given the Dutch giants the lead with his fourth league goal of the season. The hosts however levelled matters in stoppage courtesy of a penalty from Thomas Robinet. Akpom has four goals in his last three matches.
SCOTLAND
CYRIEL DESSERS (RANGERS)
Dessers scored his fourth league goal of the season for Rangers in their 2-0 win over Livingston. The Nigerian opened the scoring in the 26th minute before James Tavernier added the second 15 minutes to the end of the game.
AUSTRIA
TOBIAS LAWAL (LASK)
Newly invited Austria goalkeeper, Lawal, couldn’t extend his clean sheets in the Austrian league as his LASK side fell 2-0 against BW Linz.
SATURDAY
ENGLAND
KELECHI IHEANACHO (LEICESTER)
In the absence of his compatriot, Wilfred Ndidi, Super Eagles forward Kelechi Iheanacho featured as Leicester City’s promotion hopes took a slight hit following a 1-0 defeat at Middlesbrough. Iheanacho was on for the entire duration of the game but couldn’t add to his five goals in the second division this season.
SEMILOGO AJAYI (WEST BROM)
Semi Ajayi was a second-half substitute for West Bromwich Albion in the 2-1 loss against Southampton at the St. Mary’s. Ajayi played less than 10 minutes with the hosts already in the lead before he was introduced. The defender has two goals so far in the Championship this season. His compatriot at West Brom Josh Maja is still out with an ankle injury.
JOE ARIBO (SOUTHAMPTON)
While Southampton are gradually turning their miserable start to the season around, Joe Aribo is still not getting enough game time as he watched their 2-1 win over West Brom from the bench.
FRED ONYEDINMA (ROTHERHAM UNITED)
Femi Onyedinma and Rotherham United crumbled to bits at the Vicarage Road, where Tom Dele-Bashiru’s Watford strolled to a 5-0 victory.
SPAIN
UMAR SADIQ (REAL SOCIEDAD)
Back in the Super Eagles but not back among the scorers yet for his club. Umar continues to struggle for form as he was in action for Real Sociedad as they embarrassed Almeria 3-1 in front of their home fans.
ASISAT OSHOALA (BARCELONA FEMENINE)
Super Falcons forward Oshoala continues to stack up the numbers at Barcelona, scoring twice in their 6-0 win over Villareal. Oshoala scored Barca Ladies’ second goal in the 24th minute off an assist from Ona Batlle and wrapped up the scoring five minutes from time. Barca are top of the table with three points ahead of rival Real Madrid.
AJIBADE (ATLETICO MADRID FEMENINE)
Rasheedat Ajibade and Atletico Madrid recovered from last week’s defeat at Tenerife, as they were in impeccable form against Eibar and claimed a 3-0 win in their Primeira Division Femenina clash.
ITALY
SAMUEL CHUKWUEZE (AC MILAN)
Chukwueze claimed his first goal contribution for AC Milan with an assist to help the former Italian champions clinch a 2-2 draw with Lecce in their thrilling Serie A faceoff.
FRANCE
CHIAMAKA NNADOZIE (PARIS FC)
Humbled last week but not so this week. Nnadozie and her Paris FC teammates were back at their best as they saw off Saint Etienne, which had Regina Otu and Amanda Uju Mbadi 6-1 away from home.
IMURAN, SEBASTINE (REIMS)
Young defender and utility player Rofiat Imuran and new striker Flourish Sabastine continued their development in the French Women’s division as they featured for Stade de Reims in their goalless draw with Le Havre.
BELGIUM
YUSUF, EJUKE (ANTWERP)
In the Belgian Pro League, Alhassan Yusuf delivered a brilliant display in midfield, while Chidera Ejuke came off the bench to help a rampant Antwerp claim a comprehensive 6-0 defeat down against Standard Liège.
PORTUGAL
ZAIDU SANUSI (PORTO)
Zaidu Sanusi scored his first goal of the season to lift Porto to a comeback 2-1 win at Vitoria Guimaraes. The Super Eagles left-back was, however, replaced shortly after the start of the second half after picking up a knock.
KELECHI NWAKALI (CHAVES)
Kelechi Nwakali would have desired a similar ending, but it was not to be, as his Chaves side stumbled to a 2-1 loss on the road to Portimonense.
FISAYO DELE-BASHIRU (HATAYSPOR)
Fisayo Dele-Bashiru provided the assist to the winning goal for Hatayspor in their narrow 2-1 win over high-flying Galatasaray in their Super Lig clash.
KENNETH OMERUO (KASIMPASA)
After losing to Galatasaray last time, Kenneth Omeruo and Kasımpaşa fell to a second consecutive defeat after allowing Kayserispor to leave the Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Stadyumu in İstanbul with a 4-3 triumph.