Nigerians abroad: Ordega, Onyekuru on target in Russia, Saudi Arabia; Orban, Ujah win in France, Germany

Soccernet.ng monitored a few matches that could potentially involve Nigerian players on Friday, March 15th.

Here are the most eye-catching highlights:

France

Goal-shy Gift Orban replaced Alexandre Lacazette at halftime and helped Lyon battle out an entertaining 3-2 victory away to Toulouse.

Orban, one of Nigeria’s most prolific forwards in 2023, is still looking for his first Ligue 1 goal since joining Lyon in the January transfer window for €12 million.

The 21-year-old has a goal in two games for Lyon in the Coupe de France, a tournament where the club has reached the semifinals and will face Valenciennes.

Spain

Real Sociedad put behind the disappointment of getting knocked out of the UEFA Champions League by PSG with a fine 2-0 win over Cadiz in their La Liga faceoff.

Super Eagles striker Umar Sadiq, who has three league goals in 25 appearances for Sociedad, did not make it off the bench at the Reale Arena in Donostia-San Sebastián.

Italy

Nigeria international Tyronne Ebuehi made his 15th Serie A appearance of the season, replacing Ghana’s Emanuel Gyasi in the second half of Empoli’s tough 0-1 loss to Bologna.

Struggling Empoli thought they had done enough to earn a share of the spoils. Still, substitute Giovanni Fabbian struck the winner deep into stoppage time to condemn the hosts to a third consecutive league defeat.

Germany

Anthony Ujah featured for Eintracht Braunschweig as the club ended their rotten form of four games without a win with a thrilling 2-1 victory against Paderborn.

Despite the win, Eintracht Braunschweig remain stuck in the Bundesliga 2 relegation zone, one point behind Kaiserslautern – who has played one fewer game – in the safety of 15th position.

Russia

In the Russian Superliga Women, Super Falcons star Francisca Ordega rounded up the scoring for CSKA Moskva in the club’s 3-0 win against Ryazan at the Stadion Novye Khimki.

Ordega scored nine league goals last season as CSKA Moscow narrowly missed the league title to rivals Zenit Saint Petersburg.

The 30-year-old attacker now has two goals in as many games this term after finding the net in her team’s 5-0 crushing of Krylya Sovetov on the opening day of the campaign last weekend.

Saudi Arabia

Henry Onyekuru maintained his fine scoring form as he found the net in Al Fayha’s tough 1-1 draw with Al Riyadh inside the Al Majma’ah Sports City Stadium in Al Majma’ah.

The 26-year-old now has ten goals in 24 Saudi League games this season, marking only the fourth time in his career he has hit ten or more goals.