Simon Moses stunner completes Nantes comeback; Godwin Mensha the best in the PGPL

The Nigerian international was the hero for the Canaries on Friday night in a five-goal Ligue 1 thriller

Simon Moses came off the substitute bench to net an excellent winning goal as Nantes came from a two-goal deficit to beat Lens 3-2 at the Stade de la Beaujoire in a Ligue 1 game week 18 encounter.

After an excellent start to the season, which saw him contribute a goal and five assists in his first eight league matches, Moses had endured a torrid time in recent weeks.

The Super Eagles winger had only managed just one assist in his last eight games and was under public scrutiny ahead of Friday evening’s clash against high-flying.

Despite Antoine Kombouare coming to his defence at the pre-match press conference, the Nantes manager still left Moses out of his starting lineup.

And to make matters worse, Lens were two-nil up in the opening quarter of an hour, leaving Nantes with a mountain to climb.

But Randal Kolo Muani’s eighth-minute brace shortly after the halftime break dragged the home side back on levelled terms before Moses came into the fray to replace Willem Geubbels.

The Nigerian international hit the side netting with a firm shot barely three minutes after taking to the pitch, but his decisive contribution arrived in stoppage time.

Just as the clock struck the 90th-minute mark, Moses cut in from the left and hit an unstoppable strike into the top corner to give the Canaries a fantastic win. Moses now has two goals and six assists in 17 Ligue 1 appearances.

Elsewhere in the Iranian Persian Gulf Pro League, veteran Nigerian forward Godwin Mensha scored his fifth goal in his last four matches to power Res Masfanja to a thrilling 3-2 win over Tractor at the Shahid Zeinali Stadium in Mes-e Sarcheshmeh.

Mensha opened the scoring for the home side from the penalty spot in the 33rd minute. Both sides traded two goals apiece after the break, but Masfanja held on for their fifth win of the campaign.

Despite missing three of his side’s nine league matches, 32-year-old Mensha is the leading goalscorer in the Iranian PGPL with six goals.