Nigerian players abroad: Ighalo, Fatai, Nwakaeme, Onyekuru make crucial impacts in club victories

Soccernet.ng highlights some of the best performances of Nigerian stars in Europe and Asia on Friday, September 22, 2023.

In the French Ligue 1, Folarin Balogun missed two penalties for Monaco as Terem Moffi and OGC Nice claimed a thrilling 0-1 derby win at the Stade Louis II.

Marseille-born Jérémie Boga netted Nice’s winner deep into stoppage time as Moffi failed to find his scoring range a week after shooting down PSG in Paris.

In the Belarussian Premier League, Raymond Adeola scored his first goal of the season to lift Gomel to a fine 2-0 victory over Minsk.

Adeola struck from the penalty spot in the 52nd minute to double the home side’s advantage as Ilya Aleksievich had given them the lead in the first half. Kaduna-born Jonathan John was solid in defence for the winning team to help them keep a clean sheet.

In the Italian Serie A, Chukwubuikem Ikwuemesi came off the bench to help Salernitana rescue a 1-1 draw at home to Frosinone.

On-loan Atalanta defender Caleb Okoli featured for Frosinone, who took the lead in the 12th minute through Romagnoli. But Jovane Cabral equalised for Salernitana shortly after the interval.

Despite the introduction of Ikwuemesi in the 67th minute, the home side could not carve out their first win of the season.

In Finland’s Veikkausliiga, Peter Godly Michael was among the goals as VPS cruised to an impressive 3-0 away win at Honka. Michael’s strike, deep into first-half stoppage time, was his 12th goal in 23 league appearances this term.

Over to the Ykkönen, where Salisu Gero scored for the second game running in TPS’s exciting 2-2 draw away to SJK Akatemia.

Gero opened the scoring for the visitors in the 5th minute, and Lakkamäki doubled their advantage 20 minutes later.

But SJK Akatemia flight back impressively to level proceedings and claim a share of the spoils at the OmaSP Stadion in Seinäjoki.
It was an even more productive day for Nigerian forwards in Saudi Arabia.

Odion Ighalo made it five goals in five league games for Al Wehda as he grabbed the clincher in their 4 – 0 victory over Abha at the King Abdulaziz Sports City Stadium in Mecca.

At the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium in Riyadh, Anthony Nwakaeme scored his first goal of the season to inspire Al Fayha to a fine 1-3 away victory over Al Riyadh.

Nwakaeme opened the scoring, and Henry Onyekuru assisted the second goal for the away team before Saleh Al Abbas reduced the deficit for the hosts in the 80th minute.

But Nwakaeme provided the assist to Al Fayha’s third goal to make sure of the three points at stake.

In Romania’s Liga I, Kehinde Fatai opened his season’s account with a fine strike in Oţelul’s hard-fought 0-2 away win at U Craiova 1948.

Fatai came off the bench at halftime and broke the game’s deadlock just past the hour mark before teammate Bodișteanu doubled the visitor’s advantage ten minutes from time.

In the Slovakian Super Liga, Hillary Gong was among the goals as Trenčín powered past FC Košice to record a convincing 0 – 3 win away from home.