Here are Soccernet.ng’s highlights of several Nigerian stars in action for their clubs over the weekend as the major European leagues close shops ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
In the Spanish Copa Del Rey, Samuel Chukwueze turned on the magic as he inspired Villarreal to a convincing 9-0 win away to lower league side Santa Amalia.
Chukwueze scored twice and provided another two assists as the Yellow Submarines advanced to the next stage of the competition.
The brace was Chukwueze’s first double of the season and his first since a 5-1 humbling of Levante in March last year.
In the Italian Serie A, Victor Osimhen hit his ninth league goal this term as Napoli fought out a 3-2 victory over Isaac Success’ Udinese inside the Diego Maradona Stadium.
Osimhen headed home Napoli’s first goal of the match before Luciano Spalletti’s men raced to a three-nil lead.
Nigerian forward Isaac Success assisted Udinese’s first goal of the encounter with a brilliant chest down for Nestorovski in the 79th minute.
Three minutes later, the visitors struck again through Lazar Samardzic, but they could not find the equaliser to earn a point for their troubles.
With the win, Napoli momentarily went 12 points clear at the top of the Italian Serie A table.
Chidera Ejuke’s German Bundesliga goal drought continued, but his Hertha Berlin were convincing 2-0 winners over Cologne in front of 60, 800 spectators at the Olympiastadion.
Ejuke was a 69th-minute substitute as goals from Wilfried Kanga and Marco Richter proved crucial for the Berliners.
Over at Carrow Road, Chuba Akpom helped Middlesbrough come back from a goal deficit to claim a 2-1 win over Norwich City.
Riley McGree’s spectacular second-half volley cancelled Josh Sargent’s fine 7th-minute opener for the hosts before Akpom set up substitute Matt Crooks for the winner two minutes into stoppage time.
In Portugal, Nigerian defender Bruno Onyemaechi’s day ended in disappointment as ten-man Boavista crashed to a 4-1 home loss to Porto.
Onyemaechi recently earned his first Super Eagles invitation ahead of Nigeria’s friendly meeting with Portugal on November 17.
But Porto cut short the defender’s celebration as goals from Ivan Marcano, Eustaquio, and Wenderson Galena (double) handed the champions all three points at stake.
