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Nigerian Football Stars in European Action: Victories, Benches, and Missing Talents
A weekend of football across Europe saw Nigerian talents take the field, showcasing their skills, enduring benches, and even missing in action. Here’s a comprehensive roundup of the performances and key highlights from this weekend’s fixtures.
English Premier League: Victor Moses, the Super Eagles winger, celebrated his fifth start of the season for Chelsea in the English Premier League (EPL). Chelsea outclassed Stoke City with an impressive 4-0 victory at the bet365 Stadium. Moses demonstrated his quality and contributed significantly to his team’s triumph.
Championship: In the English Championship, Hope Akpan made a crucial appearance in the 75th minute as a substitute for Jay Allen in Burton Albion’s goalless draw away to Queens Park Rangers, showcasing his impact off the bench.
Sone Aluko, on the other hand, played a pivotal role by providing an 87th-minute assist for Jon Boedvarsson, allowing Reading to secure a 1-1 draw against Hull City. This marked Aluko’s fourth game for Reading since joining the club. Nigeria defender Ola Aina, on loan from Chelsea, exhibited his prowess with a full 90-minute performance for Hull City.
Serie A: Sadiq Umar found himself on the substitutes’ bench as Torino faced a challenging 4-0 defeat to Juventus in the Turin derby. Umar is yet to make an appearance this season, while his compatriot Joel Obi was absent due to injury.
La Liga and Bundesliga: Kayode Olanrewaju, plying his trade in Spain’s La Liga Santander, struggled to find the net in his fifth appearance for Girona, who endured a 3-0 loss to Barcelona at the Montilivi Stadium. In the German Bundesliga, Leon Balogun was benched as Mainz played to a 1-1 draw at home against Hertha Berlin. Balogun has made four starts this season for Mainz.
Other European Leagues: Tyrone Ebuehi celebrated victory with ADO Den Haag, helping his team edge past Sparta Rotterdam with a 1-0 win in Holland. In the Belgian Jupiler League, Henry Onyekuru was conspicuously missing from Anderlecht’s lineup, although his team secured a 2-1 victory against Waasland Beveren. Onyekuru, with four goals in seven appearances in all competitions for Anderlecht, was notably absent.
In the Scottish League, Efe Ambrose showcased his leadership qualities, guiding Hibernian to a 1-0 victory over Ross County.
The weekend’s football spectacle offered a glimpse into the diverse performances of Nigerian football stars across Europe. While some excelled on the pitch, others found themselves on the sidelines or absent, leaving fans eagerly anticipating the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
