It was another weekend of mixed fortunes for Nigerian born players and players still eligible to play for their fatherland as some won, others didn’t while the rest didn’t feature at all.
Soccernet takes a closer look at how Kelechi Iheanacho, David Okereke, Victor Osimhen and co fared with their respective clubs.
France
Victor Osimhen, Lille 2-1 Nantes
The Super Eagles striker scored a beautiful brace on his debut against Nantes in the French Ligue 1 to lead Lille to a fine opening day win.
It took the 2019 AFCON bronze medalist just 19 minutes to grab his goal that gave Lille the lead against Nantes, Sunday afternoon.
https://www.twitter.com/SupereaglesP/status/1160549454564536321
Nantes got a lucky break early in the second half as a Zeki Celik own goal drew level for the away side.
But Osimhen would just not be denied his debut win. With ten minutes of play left of the game, the 20-year-old rose to the occasion to slam home the winner from an acute angle off a Zeki Celik assist.
80' GOOOOAAAALLLL !!! VICTOOOOOR OSIMHEN 💥💥 has done it again, this time with near-post finish👏👏.#LOSCFCN 2-1 pic.twitter.com/py06JTuian
— LOSC (@LOSC_EN) August 11, 2019
Samuel Kalu, Angers 3-1 Bordeaux
The Super Eagles’ winger was on from start to finish as his Bordeaux side was hammered 3-1 on the road in their first Ligue 1 match of the season.
Led Girondes took an early lead but the hosts struck in the 27th minute to draw level. Two more goals before the break sealed a fine win for Angers.
The Nigerian winger, a member of the Super Eagles bronze winning squad at 2019 AFCON, was rated 7.0 by whoscored.com – the second best performance by a Bordeaux player.
Spain
Samuel Chukwueze, Villareal 4-3 Bologna
Super Eagles star Samuel Chukwueze was the hero for Villarreal with a wunder-goal and an assist as the Yellow Submarine, came from behind to beat Serie A side Bologna 4-3 on Saturday in their final pre-season fixture at the Stadio Olimpico in Serravalle, San Marino.
Watch @chukwueze_8 performance against Bologna as he scores his 2nd pre-season goal.
Samuel Chukwueze is back!!! pic.twitter.com/zw2372SY81
— SUPER EAGLES ESPIONAGE (@EaglesAmebo) August 11, 2019
The 20-year-old came in as a second-half substitute with the game tied at 1-1. He then won the free-kick which was buried by Santi Cazorla to make the scoreline read 2-1 before providing an assist for Karl Ekambi to score the winner with the game locked at 3-3.
England
Wilfred Ndidi and Kelechi Iheanacho, Leicester City 0-0 Wolves
Super Eagles midfielder Wilfred Ndidi was in action for 90 minutes as Leicester City were held to a 0-0 draw by Wolverhampton Wanderers in the opening weekend of the 2019/2020 Premier League campaign at the King Power Stadium.
His international teammate, Kelechi Iheanacho was an unused substitute in the game.
Isaac Success, Watford 0-3 Brighton
Watford lost scandalously at home to Brighton in a game where Isaac Success saw action for the last fifteen minutes.
https://www.twitter.com/Robin_HD_YT/status/1160501349622132736
By the time the Nigerian forward was introduced for Andre Gray, Watford were trailing Brighton 2-0 at Vicarage Road but the striker couldn’t inspire his side’s fight-back and they finally fell 3-0.
Super Eagles midfielder Oghenekaro Etebo was missing in action for the second consecutive game as Stoke City suffered a 3-1 away defeat to Charlton Athletic at The Valley on Saturday afternoon.
Etebo missed his team’s first game of the season as well – a 2-1 loss at home to QPR – as he only resumed training with the Potters this week after taking part in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations with Nigeria’s Super Eagles.
Nigerian-born midfielder Chuks Aneke scored Charlton’s second goal of the game.
Lyle Taylor and Conor Gallagher got the other goals for the home team.
Semi Ajayi, West Brom 1-1 Millwall
The Super Eagles defender played every minute if the encounter at the Hawthorns, as West Bromwich could only manage a 1-1 home draw against Millwall.
Alex Pearce conceded an own goal to hand West Brom the lead in the 57th minute, while Matt Philip equalised for the visitors 15 minutes from time.
The Belgian giants were bing held to a goalless draw at Oostende before substitute David Okereke entered the fray to score and hand over three precious points to Club Brugge who beat their host by 2 goals to nil.
David Okereke first three games for @ClubBrugge in Jupiler Pro League:
vs Waasland-Beveren ⚽️
vs St. Truiden ⚽️⚽️🅰️
vs Oostende ⚽️21 years of age. Nigerian excellence. 🇳🇬⚫️🔵
— Football Talent Scout – Jacek Kulig (@FTalentScout) August 10, 2019
Okereke came off the bench to head home the decisive opener, before fellow substitute and South Africa’s Percy Tau netted the second, as Club Brugge handed a first defeat of the season to Oostende as the Jupiler League entered Match Day 3.
The Lagos-born attacker now has four goals and an assist in just three First Division A matches.
Philippe Clement’s men are now the clear leaders on the league table after securing the maximum nine points out of their first three games.
Abdul-Jeleel Ajagun and Imoh Ezekiel, Cercle Brugge KSV 1-3 Kortrijk
The former Flying Eagles attacking midfielder scored his first competitive goal in over a year to help Kortrijk pick up their first League win of the season.
On Saturday, Ajagun’s goal inspired the side to a 3-1 victory against their hosts, Cercle Brugge KSV.
With Kortrijk trailing yet again since the first half, the former Nigeria U17 and U20 midfielder scored a belter from 24 yards in the second-half to bring his side level.
Cercle Brugge – KV Kortrijk 1-3 🔴⚪️
⚽︎ 1-0 Saadi
⚽︎ 1-1 Ajagun
⚽︎ 1-2 Van der Bruggen
⚽︎ 1-3 Kage #CERKVK #COYR pic.twitter.com/c8QfqZSS54— KV Kortrijk (@kvkofficieel) August 11, 2019
Six minutes later the visitors took the lead and put it beyond their host with a clutch goal – in the 90th minute.
Ajagun’s Nigerian compatriot, and one-time capped Super Eagles winger Imoh Ezekiel was an unused substitute.
The victory is Kortrijk’s first after three games of the new league season.
The Super Eagles goalkeeper was a late call-up for the match after Chiefs’ number 1 Bvuma’s injury during warm-up, but the Nigerian impressed by keeping a clean sheet.
Daniel Akpeyi starred as Kaizer Chiefs defeated Black Leopards 1-0 on Saturday at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in the South African Premier League.
Erick Mathoho was the hero as Kaizer Chiefs maintained their winning start to the Absa Premiership season with his solitary effort, but Chiefs have Akpeyi to thank for a decent outing.
Akpeyi was on the bench in Amakhosi’s league opener against Highlander Park, which they won 3-2.
