On the decisive weekend before Nigeria’s final AFCON 2025 squad is unveiled, several Super Eagles stars and hopefuls delivered compelling reminders of their credentials across Europe, Soccernet.ng reports.
While Olanrewaju Kayode continued his prolific run in Turkey, Salim Fago struck again in Croatia, and Everton’s Toni Payne played a crucial role in ending Chelsea’s extraordinary 585-day unbeaten league streak.
But the biggest highlight came in Turkey, where little-known Anthony Dennis stunned Trabzonspor with a stoppage-time screamer.
Nigerians abroad: Kayode reaches double figures as Fago strengthens AFCON claim
Super Eagles striker Olanrewaju Kayode produced one of the standout displays of the weekend in Turkey’s second tier, scoring twice and adding an assist in Erokspor’s emphatic 4–1 win over Sakaryaspor.
His brace, coming in the 53rd and 79th minutes after assisting the opener, lifted him to 10 goals this season. Only one player in the league has more.
Erokspor now sit third with 31 points from 15 matches, just one behind leaders Pendikspor, and Kayode’s consistency has placed him firmly in contention for a national team recall.
In Croatia, 22-year-old Salim Fago continued to justify his spot on Nigeria’s 54-man provisional AFCON list. The NK Istra forward closed out a commanding 5–1 win at Osijek with his fourth goal of the season, another confident finish from a player whose stock has risen steadily since the 2023 U-20 World Cup.
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Mixed fortunes in England as Payne punishes Chelsea
Fulham’s Nigerian trio, Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey, and Samuel Chukwueze, started in Sunday’s 2–1 defeat to Crystal Palace at Craven Cottage.
For Chukwueze, the match arrived with an extraordinary statistic: he entered the game averaging a goal involvement every 46 minutes in the Premier League, the most efficient record in the competition’s history for players with at least 200 minutes.
Christantus Uche was given a real chance for the first time by Palace boss Oliver Glasner and he took it, helping to create the winning goal late on.
The Super Eagles striker, who was introduced in the 66th minute, won the corner that led to Palace's winner.
Elsewhere in the WSL, Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie produced a commanding performance for Brighton, keeping her third clean sheet of the season in a 1–0 victory over London City Lionesses.
Her compatriot Rofiat Imuran played all 90 minutes for the defeated Lionesses.
But the result of the weekend in England belonged to Everton’s Toni Payne.
The Super Falcons midfielder supplied the decisive assist in a stunning 1–0 away win at Chelsea, ending the Blues’ 34-game unbeaten league streak. Payne now has one goal and three assists in 13 appearances this season.
Boniface, Simon, Adams, and Dennis in the spotlight
Super Eagles striker Victor Boniface logged 11 minutes in Werder Bremen’s 3–2 loss at Hamburger.
Nigerian winger Moses Simon’s goal drought stretched to five games after Paris FC’s stalemate with Le Havre.
In Spain, Akor Adams’ wait for a La Liga goal reached seven matches during Sevilla’s 1–1 draw with Valencia, though his recent form for Nigeria suggests he remains in AFCON contention. Chidera Ejuke was an unused substitute.
Austria saw Chubuike Nwaiwu sent off again, his second red card this season, during Wolfsberger’s 2–1 win over Austria Vienna.
In Belgium, Chukwubuikem Ikwuemesi remained on the bench, while Czech forward Emmanuel Ayoasi saw his recent hot streak halted in Karvina’s goalless draw.
Cyriel Dessers and Kelechi Iheanacho both started from the bench for their respective clubs in Greece and Scotland, with Iheanacho yet to feature under new coach Eric Chelle.
Paul Onuachu, Super Lig top scorer with 11 goals, received a suspension-triggering booking for Trabzonspor and will miss the next match, potentially allowing him to join Nigeria’s AFCON camp earlier than planned.
The Nigerian forward played a key role in defence in the latter part of the game to help Trabzonspor protect their 2-1 win at Göztepe.
Super Eagles hopeful Anthony Dennis scored the consolation goal for Goztepe in the encounter unleashing an 84th-minute screamer for his third goal in 14 league appearances.
Elsewhere in Turkey, Tom Dele-Bashiru returned to Gençlerbirliği’s starting XI in their 3–0 win over Fatih Karamguruk, while Henry Onyekuru’s goalless run continued.
Earlier on Saturday, Victor Osimhen fired an excellent brace to inspire Galatasaray to a thrilling 3-2 victory over Samsunspor.
To wrap up the weekend, AFCON provisional-list winger Philip Otele impressed with four shots, three on target, as Basel beat Winterthur 2–1 in Switzerland.
