Nigerian football stars posted outstanding performances for their respective clubs across the globe, over the weekend.
ENGLAND
Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest)
Awoniyi scored on his first start for Nottingham Forest, who defeated West Ham 1-0 at City Ground on Sunday with his only shot on target.
In the process, he becomes the 37th Nigerian to score in the English elite division.
The Nigerian striker, who played for 72 minutes, scored in first half additional time to hand Forest their first EPL win in 23 years.
The strike was Forest’s first Premier League goal at The City Ground since Chris Bart-Williams’ winner against Leicester City in May 1999.
Awoniyi, who was replaced by Sam Surridge, had a pass accuracy of 72 per cent, 16 passes, 30 touches and suffered three fouls in the encounter.
Iheanacho, Ndidi (Leicester City)
Wilfred Ndidi made his second start of the Premier League season for Leicester, who suffered a 4-2 defeat at Arsenal on Saturday.
The former Genk man had two clearances, two tackles and 87 per cent pass accuracy. His compatriot, Iheanacho, came on for Jamie Vardy in the 70th minute for his second substitute appearance this season and made an assist for James Maddison’s goal four minutes later.
Alex Iwobi (Everton)
Iwobi played the entire duration of Everton’s 2-1 loss to Aston Villa on Saturday. Danny Ings and Emiliano Buendia scored to get Aston Villa’s Premier League campaign up and running with victory over Everton as Steven Gerrard got one over on his old midfield rival Frank Lampard.
Frank Onyeka (Brentford)
Onyeka made his first appearance of the season for Brentford, who thumped Manchester United 4-0 at Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday. The Nigerian midfielder came on for Aaron Hickey in the 80th minute of the Bees’ biggest EPL win.
Joe Aribo (Southampton)
Aribo got off the mark for Southampton on Saturday as the Saints ended a run of five consecutive Premier League defeats after holding Leeds United 2-2 on Saturday.
Kyle Walker-Peters fired an 81st-minute equaliser from an acute angle after summer signing Aribo came off the bench to open his account. It was Aribo’s second league appearance since he joined the club this summer. With the draw, the Saints are off the foot of the table and climb into 15th place.
Chuba Akpom (Middlesbrough)
Akpom’s double saw Middlesbrough twice fight back to claim a point in an entertaining Championship match with Sheffield United in the Championship.
Sheffield took an early lead when Sander Berge’s low strike from 18 yards beat Zack Steffen in the Boro goal. Akpom leveled with a close-range finish from Isaiah Jones’ cross after some lovely interplay down the Boro right, for his first goal for the club since April 2021. Ryan Giles slashed Iliman Ndiaye’s drilled centre into his net, but Akpom headed home to rescue a point for Chris Wilder’s hosts. The draw means Boro is yet to win this season.
Semi Ajayi (West Brom)
Ajayi could not help West Bromwich Albion from losing 2-1 to Blackburn Rovers in a Championship game at Ewood Park on Sunday. The big defender has made two starts this season for the Baggies.
Ben Brereton Diaz scored one and made another as Blackburn Rovers went top of the Championship with a 2-1 win over West Bromwich Albion.
Ojo, Collins (Cardiff City)
Jamilu Collins made his third Championship start for Cardiff, who extended their unbeaten run over Birmingham to eight matches, as they deservedly took all three points in a one-sided 1-0 win in the Welsh capital.
Cardiff led after a fast start, when Jaden Philogene tapped home from close range on 16 minutes, finishing a sweeping Bluebirds attack.
Ojo came on for Callum O’Dowda in the 70th minute and was cautioned 12 minutes later.
ITALY
Dessers, Okereke (Cremonese)
David Okereke was on target for Cremonese, who lost 3-2 to Fiorentina in a Serie A game on Sunday.
The 25-year-old, who paired countryman Cyriel Dessers in Cremonese attack, drew his side level with a header three minutes after Giacomo Bonaventura had scored for Fiorentina. He was however cautioned in the 82nd minute, before he was hurled off five minutes afterward.
Ademola Lookman (Atalanta)
Lookman made a scoring debut in the Serie A, hitting target in the 95th-minute to help Atalanta seal a 2-0 win over Sampdoria.
Lookman came on for Lucas Muriel in the 63rd minute and in additional time of the encounter finished off a fine counter attack move by the visitors, coolly tapping in after sending a Sampdoria defender to the cleaners.
Isaac Success (Udinese)
Success was in action as Udinese fell 4-2 to champions AC Milan at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza. Success was replaced by Beto in the 67th minute.
TURKEY
Onyekuru, Akintola (Adana Demirspor)
Henry Onyekuru and David Akintola were both on target for Adana Demirspor, who egded Sivasspor 3-0 on Saturday.
The goal was Onyekuru’s second goal of the season in two games, while it was the first for Akintola this season.
Onyekuru, 25, who joined the Blue Lightnings from Olympiacos on a season-long loan, with an option to buy, scored the second goal in the 51st minute after Morocco international Younes Belhanda had put Adana Demirspor ahead in the 41st minute.
Akintola scored the home side’s third of the encounter in the 70th minute.
The win sees Adana Demirspor move top of the Turkish Super Lig with a superior goals difference over champions Trabzonspor.
SPAIN
Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal)
Chukwueze was a second-half substitute as Villarreal kicked off their LaLiga campaign in style with a commanding 3-0 win at Real Valladolid.
The Nigerian winger came on for Francis Coquelin in the 63rd minute and set up Alex Baena for Villarreal’s second goal. Baena completed his brace in stoppage time as the Yellow Submarines secured the biggest win of LaLiga’s opening day