In a weekend where most Nigerian players were on the receiving end, Akor Adams continues to shine for Montpellier in France, writes EBENEZER BAJELA
SUNDAY
FRANCE
Akor Adams (Montpellier)
Adams scored twice in the 17th and 72nd minutes — both goals either side of Kayad’s 63rd minute strike — in Montpellier’s comprehensive 3-0 defeat of visiting Toulouse in Ligue1. The brace takes the 23-year-old’s tally to five goals in eight Ligue1 appearances.
ITALY
Ebosele, Success (Udinese)
Udinese duo Festy Ebosele and Isaac Success started in the 1-1 stalemate with Monza in Serie A, while goalkeeper Maduka Okoye was benched once again. Success played all 90 minutes but Ebosele was substituted in the 55th minute.
ENGLAND
Adebayo, Osho (Luton Town), Iroegbunam (Villa)
In England, Elijah Adebayo again started on the bench in Luton Town’s 3-1 loss to Aston Villa. The forward, who scored in their 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest in their penultimate fixture, was brought on in the 76th minute, but couldn’t salvage matters for the Hatters.
Adebayo’s injury time strike against Forest was his 30th league goal for Luton; meaning he has scored more league goals for the Hatters than any other player since his debut for the club in February 2021.
With Sunday’s defeat to Villa, it’s Luton’s worst ever start to a season across the English top four tiers — collecting just five points from their opening 10 league games.
Hatters defender Gabriel Osho came off in the 57th minute, while Villa’s English midfielder of Nigerian descent Tim Iroegbunam was an unused substitute.
Iwobi, Bassey (Fulham)
Fulham duo Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey were on from the blast as Fulham held Brighton 1-1 at the Falmer Stadium. Iwobi was substituted in the 90th minute but Bassey, who had a nightmarish time in their defeat to Tottenham Hotspur last time out, earned manager Marco Silva’s trust, playing every minute of the clash, and he paid back the gaffer’s trust with an impressive performance.
Aina, Awoniyi (Forest)
It was different tales for Ola Aina and Taiwo Awoniyi as Nottingham Forest fell 3-0 to Liverpool at Anfield. Both were injured previously but while Aina started against the Reds, Awoniyi was handed a bench role for the encounter by manager Steve Cooper. Awoniyi came on in the 69th minute for Willy Boly — same time Aina was substituted for Harry Taffolo — but he couldn’t reproduce last season’s heroics, when he grabbed the winner in a shock 1-0 triumph over his former club.
HOLLAND
Chuba Akpom (Ajax)
Again, manager Hedwiges Maduro benched Akpom as bitter rivals PSV Eindhoven piled more misery on the former European champions with an emphatic 5-2 home win. Ajax occupy bottom place in the 18-team Eredivisie with just five points from eight games, winning just once and losing five matches.
Richie Omorowa (Excelsior)
Excelsior forward Omorowa saw only seven minutes of action in their 3-1 defeat at FC Volendam.
Omorowa, 19, was born in Sweden to a Nigerian father and Ivorian mother. He is a youth international for Sweden, having played for the Sweden U19s.
SCOTLAND
Cyriel Dessers (Rangers)
Dessers started in Glasgow Rangers clash with Hearts in the Scottish topflight but was pulled off in the 46th minute for match winner Danilo. James Tavernier spared Rangers blushes with an 89th minute equaliser, after the visitors had gone ahead in the fifth minute, before Danilo’s winner off Tavernier’s assist made score 2-1 for the hosts.
BELGIUM
Yusuf, Ilenikhena, Ejuke (Antwerp), Onyedika (Brugge)
Midfielder Alhassan Yusuf was flashed a yellow card but substitute George Ilenikhena’s 72nd minute goal — seconds after coming on — was not enough to save champions Antwerp, who fell 2-1 to hosts Raphael Onyedika’s Club Brugge. Ilenikhena had grabbed the equaliser after Brugge went ahead in the 45th minute. But the visitors’ hopes were dashed when Hans Vanaken struck the winner in the 90th minute. Onyedika and Yusuf saw 90 minutes of action but Antwerp forward Chidera Ejuke sat on the bench all through.
Ilenikhena was born in Lagos but he arrived in France aged only three, growing up in Antony, Hauts-de-Seine.
TURKEY
Paul Onuachu (Trabzonspor)
Trabzonspor striker Onuachu fired blanks in their goalless Super Lig clash against Fatih Karagumruk, ensuring the towering forward, who’s on loan from English side Southampton, could not add to his three goals and one assist in the tie.
DENMARK
Anosike Ementa (Viborg)
Little-known striker Ementa’s 76th minute equaliser ensured visiting Viborg shared the spoils with Vejle Boldklub, who opened score courtesy of Yeni N’Gbakoto’s 21st minute opener. The game ended 1-1.
Vejle forward German Onugha, who has a Russian mother and a Nigerian father, started the game but was substituted in the 61st minute.
Saturday
England
Frank Onyeka
During his 26 minutes on the pitch, Onyeka was impressive as Brentford silent the home crowd to claim a famous 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge.
The midfielder came on for Mathias Jensen in the 64th minute as the Bees looked to preserve their slender lead and the Nigerian helped did just that until Bryan Mbeumo added the second six minutes into the additional time.
Onyeka was shown a yellow card by referee Simon Hooper in the 85th minute after a foul on Nicolas Jackson to prevent a Chelsea counter attack.
Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester)
While Wilfred Ndidi was not in the matchday squad his compatriot Iheanacho saw action for the final ten minutes as Leicester City continued their excellent league run with a narrow 2-1 win away to Queens Park Rangers.
Iheancho was introduced into the game in the 79th minute for Cesare Casadei. He was unable to add to his five-goal tally in the championship but he put up a decent performance.
Germany
Kevin Akpoguma (Hoffenheim)
Despite being cautioned just 17 minutes into action, Kevin Akpoguma put up a fine performance as Hoffenheim claimed a 3-2 victory against Stuttgart.
The Super Eagles defender was in action for the entire 90 minutes in the thrilling encounter at the MHPArena.
France
Moses Simon (Nantes)
It was not the best weekend for Simon and Nantes as they suffered a 4-0 defeat away to Lens in Ligue 1. The 28-year-old has been very impressive so far this season scoring two goals and providing five assists but he could not add to his goal contribution at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis.
Simon was substituted in the 68th minute for Abdoul Kader Bamba.
Portugal
Kelechi Nwakali (Chaves)
In the Portuguese Primeira Liga, Chaves were already losing 4-0 to Vitoria Guimaraes when Kelechi Nwakali was introduced to the pitch.
The Super Eagles midfielder could not help the visitors avoid losing 5-0 to the high-flying hosts.
Nwakali was called into action for Hector Hernandez Marrero in the 66th minute but it was a little too late as his side, who were one man down, conceded another goal a minute into additional time.
Serbia
Peter Olayinka (Red Star Belgrade)
Olayinka scored what proved to be the winning goal for Red Star Belgrade as they sealed a 2-1 win at IMT Novi Beograd in the Serbian top flight.
The striker stunned the home crowd in the 22nd minute to put the visitors ahead at the Vozdovac Stadium.
Turkey
Olanrewaju Kayode (Gençlerbirliği)
In the Turkish 1 Lig, Olanrewaju Kayode kicked off the comeback for Gençlerbirliği from a two-goal deficit with a fine strike as they eventually secured a 2-2 draw with Kocaelispor.
The Netherlands
Bobby Adekanye
Adekanye was in action for 65 minutes in Go Ahead 0-0 draw with Almere City FC in the Eredivisie clash on Saturday.
After a quiet performance at the Yanmar Stadion the winger was substituted for Sylla Sow as the visitors went out in search of the goal.
