Super Eagles midfielder Raphael Onyedika has suffered the first heartbreak of the season following Club Brugge's loss to Royale Union Saint-Gilloise in the Belgian Super Cup, Soccernet.ng reports.
Onyedika helped Club Brugge win the Belgian Pro League title last season after a memorable run in the Championship round condemned Union SG to second place. It was the first career honour of the former FC Midtjylland ace.
However, Union SG claimed the Belgian Cup, their first in 110 years, to end the campaign on a high.
The league champions and the cup winners on Saturday met at the Jan Breydelstadion in Brugge in the traditional season opener to determine who clinches the Super Cup.
And it was Union SG, making their first appearance in the competition, who emerged the victors, after claiming a hard-fought 2-1 victory.
Onyedika started the match on the bench and made his way onto the pitch in the 56th minute, with Club Brugge already trailing to goals from Cameron Puertas and Fedde Leysen.
Club Brugge reduced the deficit through Christos Tzolis ten minutes from time but the Blue-Blacks could not complete the comeback.
Onyedika and Club Brugge will begin their 2024/25 league campaign with a home clash against Mechelen on Friday, July 26.
Since joining Club Brugge from FC Midtjylland for just under €10 million in 2022, the Nigeria international has scored four goals and contributed two assists in 90 appearances.
Onyedika also came close to lifting the Africa Cup of Nations trophy earlier this year, after being a part of the Nigeria squad that reached the final of the tournament in Cote d'Ivoire.
