Clean sheet for Okoye in Sparta Rotterdam’s win as Onuachu fires Genk to a win

The two Nigerian players put in an impressive shift for their clubs in the Dutch and Belgian top-flight on Sunday afternoon 

Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye’s poor run in goal finally came to an end after he kept a clean sheet in Sparta Rotterdam’s 1-0 win over Willem II in their Eredivisie clash at the Sparta Stadion Het Kasteel on Sunday afternoon.

Okoye had been under intense criticism for his role in Nigeria’s exit at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, while his record in goal has been disappointing.

Going into Sunday’s game, the Nigerian had conceded 27 goals in 17 league games, with no clean sheet in his last five matches.

However, there was a respite for him on Sunday afternoon as he kept his third clean sheet of the season to help Sparta record their third league win of the season.

It was a relatively quiet evening for the young goalkeeper, making no save and claiming just one high ball as Younes Namli 59th minute strike secured the win for Henk Fraser’s men.

Meanwhile, in the Belgian Jupiler League, Paul Onuachu scored his 14th league goal of the season as Genk beat Standard Liege 2-0.

Theo Bongonda put The Smurfs ahead a minute before the break before Onuachu added the second in the 53rd minute.

Onuachu could have added more to his tally, but he was denied on two occasions by the goalkeeper. The Super Eagles striker has now scored 16 goals in 30 games for Genk this season.