Raphael Onyedika has been named in the UEFA Champions League playoff first Team of the Week following his standout performance for Club Brugge KV.
The Nigerian midfielder earned a place in the selection compiled by football statistics website WhoScored.com after playing a decisive role in Brugge’s thrilling 3-3 draw against Atlético Madrid on Wednesday night.
Onyedika found the net in the 52nd minute to pull a goal back and make it 2-1, sparking his side’s comeback. With just one minute remaining, he turned provider, setting up Christos Tzolis for the equaliser.
Also on target in the encounter was his Super Eagles teammate Ademola Lookman, who scored for Atlético Madrid in an entertaining contest.
Both sides will clash again in the second leg at the Metropolitano next Tuesday, with a place in the round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League at stake.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
