Here is Soccernet.ng’s highlight of several Nigerian players who got on the scoresheet to lead their European clubs to victories on Saturday.
Awaziem, the hero
In the Croatian HNL, Super Eagles defender Chidozie Awaziem scored the winning goal for the second game running to power Hajduk Split to a dramatic 2-1 triumph over Varaždin at the Stadion Poljud.
The matchday 12 clash was heading for a draw after Varaždin’s Brodic cancelled out, midway through the second half, Sahiti’s 33rd-minute opener for the home side.
But Nigerian centre-back Awaziem was at the right place to turn home Marko Livaja’s cross for the winning goal nine minutes into stoppage time.
It would be recalled that Awaziem was Hajduk Split’s hero last weekend when he netted the only goal in the defeat of Rijeka away from home.
After only eight league appearances in Croatia, Awaziem has weighed in three league goals – the most he has managed in his career.
The former Porto defender is now Hajduk’s highest-scoring defender and second-top goalscorer behind striker Livaja.
Maja, Onuachu, Bassey hit the target
In France, Nigerian striker Josh Maja fired his fifth penalty of the season in Girondins Bordeaux’s 2-0 defeat of Metz at the Stade Matmut-Atlantique.
Maja converted from the spot in first-half stoppage time to hand Les Girondins the lead before Brazil’s Barbosa made sure of the win late in the game.
The one-cap Super Eagles striker sits atop the Ligue 2 goalscorer chart with seven goals from 11 matches.
In Belgium, Paul Onuachu produced the goods to lead KRC Genk to a slim 2-1 win over Kortrijk at the Cegeka Arena.
Onuachu netted both of Genk’s goals – the second, a 79th-minute penalty – to guide the Smurfs to their ninth win in 11 league games.
Genk, with 28 points, sit in second place on the First Division A table, two points behind league leaders Antwerp and six more than champions Club Brugge in third.
In the Netherlands, Calvin Bassey was among the goal scorers as Ajax carved out a 4-2 victory at Volendam.
The goal is Bassey’s first for Ajax since swapping the Scottish Premiership for the Eredivisie in the summer.
