…Serie A-based Simy replicates Ronaldo’s goal against Juvy
Though veteran striker, Bartholomew Ogbeche remains the highest scoring Nigerian forward in Europe with 10 goals so far this season, one striker whose goal will remain the talking points for many years to come is Crotone’s Simeon Nwankwo better known as Simy in Italy.
Standing at 6ft6, Simy who is the tallest player in the Serie A netted a stunning bicycle-kick goal midweek, against Juventus, in a similar fashion to the one scored by Cristiano Ronaldo at the Allianz Stadium earlier this month.
Elsewhere, after enduring a difficult start to the new Chinese League season, Super Eagles striker, Odion Ighalo had four of Changchun Yatai’s five goals credited to his name in a famous win against Guizhou Hengfeng.
In this report, ADEBAYO OLODAN takes you through the performances of Super Eagles players and hopefuls across major leagues of Europe and the Chinese Super League.
PREMIERSHIP
Alex Iwobi (Arsenal): He lasted 70 minutes when his team defeated West Ham United 4-1.
FA CUP
Victor Moses (Chelsea): He lasted the duration of his team’s 2-0 defeat of Southampton in the FA Cup semi-final.
I6-yr-old keeper, Okonkwo trains with Arsenal first team
I6-year-old goalkeeper, Arthur Okonkwo may soon make his debut for Arsenal’s senior team after he joined the rest of the squad in training ahead of the weekend match against West Ham Utd.
The 16-year-old seemed highly rated by Gunners coach Arsene Wenger as this is not the first time the Frenchman has invited him to train with Alex Iwobi and co. before a competitive game.
Okonkwo practiced with Arsenal’s first team before their League Cup match against Doncaster Rovers in September 2017, although he was unable to make the match day squad.
Having made the U-18s match day squads five times over the course of last season for U18 Premier League matches, he finally made his competitive debut for Arsenal U18s against Leicester City exactly six months ago and also featured in this season’s FA Youth Cup.
Okonkwo had caps for England’s U15 and U16 national teams before he was promoted to the U17s this season.
It is all but confirmed that he will sign a new two-year deal with Arsenal in July 2018.
Maja still on trial at Man City
17-year-old, holding midfielder, Emmanuel Maja, is still on trial at Manchester City with a view to a transfer in the summer transfer window.
The official team sheet sighted confirmed that Maja was named in Manchester City’s 16-man squad for their U18 Premier League clash against Derby County on Saturday afternoon.
The midfielder wasn’t the only player of Nigerian descent named on the roster by manager Gareth Taylor as Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and striker Osaze Aghatise were also listed.
Nathanael Ogbeta and Felix Nmecha were not involved for the Young Citizens, the central midfielder was in Nyon, Switzerland with the U19 squad for their UEFA Youth League semifinal clash against Barcelona on Friday.
Derby County’s Nigerian-Swedish winger Ayomide Jibodu started but was replaced at half-time.
Maja, whose sibling Sunderland’s Josh Maja was invited to train with the Super Eagles in 2017, is currently on the books of ninth-tier team in England, Croydon Football Club.
CHAMPIONSHIP
Sammy Ameobi (Bolton}: He was on for 90 minutes as his team slumped to a 4-0 defeat at home to English Premier League bound side, Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The game was Ameobi’s 33rd of the season. Bolton remains two points clear of the relegation zone, in 21st position, with 40 points from 44 games.
Ola Aina and Fikayo Tomori (Hull City): Aina played for 44 minutes before he was replaced by Tomori in Hull City’s 5-5 draw with Bristol City. The game was Aina’s 44th appearance this season for Hull in the English championship.
Tomori’s goal might yet go down as an own goal as his header against the post was deflected back into the net by Frank Fielding.
SPAIN
Brown Ideye and Isaac Success (Malaga): Ideye was introduced in the 78th minute while Success was an unused substitute when their team won 2-0 at home to Real Sociedad.
Imoh Ezekiel, Oghenekaro Etebo and Emmanuel Emenike (Las Palmas): Etebo lasted 90 minutes while Ezekiel and Emenike were not listed when their team suffered a 0-4 loss at home to Alaves.
SEGUNDA DIV
Francis Uzoho (Deportivo): He conceded three goals when his team suffered a 3-1 home defeat to Celta Vigo B in the Spanish Segunda B Group 1. Uzoho who made his 22nd appearance for the club has now conceded 17 goals, and kept 12 clean sheets for RC Deportivo Fabril.
SCOTLAND
Efe Ambrose (Hibernian): The central defender lasted 90 minutes as his club defeated Celtic 2-1 to delay the latter’s title celebration. The win was the first for the Hibs over Celtic since December 2012, and it was the third time that Brendan Rodgers’ side has lost in the league this season.
Ambrose has made 34 SPL appearances for the Hibs this season.
Hearts signs Ikpeazu
Scottish Premiership side, Hearts FC has announced the signing of marksman, Uche Ikpeazu from Cambridge Utd.
The 6ft 4in centre forward has agreed a two-year deal at Tynecastle and will move to Edinburgh on 1 July.
The 23-year-old attracted interest from Hearts with his good scoring form in the English League Two for Cambridge United as he has scored 22 goals in 78 appearances since he moved to the Abbey Stadium from Watford in the summer of 2016.
Ikpeazu, who has since signed a pre-contract with Hearts has a current deal with Cambridge which is set to ran out at the end of the season.
Hearts released the following statement: “The towering hitman has committed to signing a two-year deal at Tynecastle after the Jambos beat off stiff competition from sides north and south of the border.”
“London-born Uche, who stands at 6ft 4′ tall, joined Reading’s academy system in 2010 and in his first full season scored 28 goals in 28 games.”
“That was enough for Watford to pay an undisclosed fee for his services in 2013 and he spent three years at Vicarage Road, enjoying loan spells at Crewe Alexandra, Doncaster Rovers, Port Vale and Blackpool.
“In 2016 he made the move to League Two side Cambridge United, where he has scored 22 goals to date. The 23-year-old has 14 strikes to his name this season and four assists.”
“Uche will link up with his new teammates upon expiration of his contract with Cambridge United on July 1st,” a statement read.
FRANCE
Chigozie Awaziem (Nantes): The central defender lasted the duration of his team’s 1-1 draw with Rennes.
BELGIUM
Abduljeleel Ajagun (Kortrijk): He put in a full shift as his team lost 0-3 to Zulte-Warengem.
ITALY
Simeon Simy (Crotone): The striker put in a full shift and drew his team level in the 7th minute of his team’s 2-1 win at Udinese.
Joel Obi (Torino): The Super Eagles midfielder was not listed when his team lost 1-2 at Atalanta.
Obi appeared injured as the 26-year-old had to go off 28 minutes after coming off the bench against AC Milan midweek, after picking up an injury, few days after he was involved in a serious car crash.
Rohr has just over three weeks left before announcing Nigeria’s 35-man provisional World Cup roster and the former Inter Milan youngster is a top candidate to make the squad list, if in tip-top condition.
Simy scores like Ronaldo against Juvy
Leggy forward, Simeon Simy netted a stunning goal against Juventus, Wednesday night allowing the ‘Sharks’ to secure a vital point against the Serie A giants.
The 25-year-old scored a screamer in the second half netting a bicycle-kick goal similar to the one netted by Cristiano Ronaldo at the Allianz Stadium earlier this month.
During the celebrations of Crotone’s players for Simy’s goal, the crowd at the Scida stadium began chanting ‘Simy like Ronaldo’.
Speaking after the final whistle, the striker said: “We are happy for the result. It’s very important for us. I dedicate this goal to my family. I thought about it and I tried to do it. The Scida is amazing, the crowd always provide you the right motivations.”
On the Scudetto race, he said, “I don’t care about it, I am only focused on the relegation battle.”
GERMANY
Noah-Joel Sarenren-Bazee (Hannover 96): He came on in the 64th minute of his team’s 0-3 loss at home to Bayern Munich.
Leaon Balogun and Anthony Ujah (Mainz 05):Ujah fired blank after he was introduced in the 61st minute while Balogun was not listed as their club suffered a 0-2 loss to Augsburg.
Ademola Lookman (RB Leipzig) & Kevin Akpoguma (Hoffenheim): He logged 90 minutes as his team lost 2-5 at home to Hoffenheim for whom Akpoguma also lasted the duration of the match.
TURKEY
Kenneth Omeruo and Samuel Eme Eduok (Kasimpasa): Omeruo lasted the full time while Eduok was introduced in the 77th minute when their team lost 1-2 at Konyaspor.
Elvis Manu (Genclerbirligi) & Aminu Umar (Osmanlispor FK): Manu lasted the duration of his club’s 3-0 defeat of Osmanlispor for whom Umar played the last 19 minutes of the match.
Shehu Abdullahi, Mikel Agu and William Troost-Ekong (Bursaspor): Abdullahi played all 90 minutes while Agu and Troost-Ekong were unused substitute as their club secured a 4-1 wins at Karabukspor.
Ogenyi Onazi (Trabzonspor): He was not listed when his side lost 2-0 at home to Sivasspor. The midfielder has made 18 league appearances for his club this term.
RUSSIA
Ahmed Musa (CSKA): He scored a brace in the 20th and 85th minute of his team’s 2-1 victory over Krasnodar.
Dele Adeleye (SKA Khabarovsk): The Super Eagles outcast was an unused substitute when his team suffered a 0-1 loss at home to Dinamo Moscow.
Brian Idowu, Fegor Ogude and Aaron Samuel (Amkar Perm): Idowu is the only who wither made the starting line-up or listed for the match which they won 2-0 at Tosno. The full back lasted 90 minutes.
UKRAINE
Kayode Olanrewaju (Shaktar Donestk): He lasted 90 minutes of the 4-2 defeat of Vorskla.
The former Austria Wien striker was among the goals midweek when his team defeated Mariupol 5-1 in the Ukrainian Cup semi-final to reach the final. Kayode proved a handful for Mariupols defenders and he came close with an overhead kick which whizzed just inches off the near corner.
He was however not to be denied minutes after following some good work from Marlos who cut off Mariupol’s entire defence and with one passing move and brought Kayode one on one with the keeper. Kayode kept his cool to finish clinically to make it 4-1
SWEDEN
Alhaji Gero (Oestersunds FK) & Isaac Edegware, Michael Omoh and Kennedy Igboannaike (Oerebro): Gero, a former U-20 striker was on for 90 minutes as his team suffered a 0-2 loss at home to Oerebro. On the opposing side, Edegware scored the second goal while Omoh and Igboannaike were substituted in the 73rd and 84th minute respectively.
AUSTRIA
Stephen Odey (Austria Wien): The former MFM forward was not listed when LASK defeated his club 1-0.
Emeka Eze and Bright Edomwonyi (Sturm Graz): Eze was substituted for Edomwonyi in the 59th minute of their team’s 1-2 loss at Wolfsberger AC.
Yusuf Otubanjo (Altach): The former Flying Eagles player was left on the substitutes’ bench when Salzburg defeated his team 3-1.
FINLAND
Mika Ojala (FC Inter Mika): He scored in the 64th minute to and was cautioned in the 82nd minute of his club’s 1-2 loss at home to TPS.
Matias Ojala and Gomo Onduku (Ilves): Ojala lasted for 90 minutes while Onduku was introduced in the 56th minute of their club’s 2-0 loss to FC Lahti.
U-17 World Cup winning defender, Abubakar joins PS Kemi
U-17 World Cup winner, Aliyu Abubakar has joined PS KemiFinnish Veikkausliiga side, Palloseura Kemi Kings.
The central defender joined the club on a season-long loan with an option to buy inserted into the agreement.
”We agreed a one year loan with buy option. Aliyu Abubakar has already passed his medical and will fly to Finland this night,” Polish agent Roman Skorupa from PiSK Sports Agency, who represents the player, disclosed.
Abubakar who last played for Dila Gori FC in Georgia, will wear the number six jersey at his new club.
The defender has the experience of playing in the Finnish topflight, with 25 appearances to his name while wearing the jersey of Kuopion Palloseura during the 2016 season.
The fast and physical centre back was a member of the Golden Eaglets squad that clinched the 2013 U-17 World Cup and started all their games in the knockout rounds.
Former KFA player, Ichull joins AC Kajaani
Finnish Ykkönen outfit, AC Kajaani has announced the signing of former Kwara Football Academy player, Ichull Ter’Ade Lordson on undisclosed terms.
The defensive midfielder was one of the three players unveiled by the second-tier club this week, the others being Oskari Rounaja and Colombian Cristian Lasso.
The combative midfielder spent time at ABS before his move to Warri Wolves and has also worn the jerseys of NPFL sides Nasarawa United and Enyimba.
The 25-year-old was called up to the Nigeria U23 squad ahead of the qualifiers for the 2015 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations.
Lordson could make his competitive debut for his new employer when they take on Oulu in their first game of the new season on April 28.
CHINA
Ighalo scores 4 goals for Changchun Yatai
Super Eagles striker, Odion Ighalo on Saturday, scored four goals for Changchun Yatai in their 5-2 win over Guizhou Hengfeng in a Chinese Super League (CSL) fixture.
Ighalo gave Changchun the lead in the 24 minute after he converted a penalty.
Wei Du equalised for Guizhou Hengfeng in the 33rd minute but Long Tan restored Changchun’s lead in the 35th minute.
Ighalo sent his side 3-1 up going into the break when he scored his second of the game in the 38th minute.
Fan Wang scored for Guizhou Hengfeng in the 60th minute to reduce the lead but Ighalo went on to scored two more goals to give his side all three points.
Ighalo completed his hat trick when he scored the fourth goal for his side in the 86th minute and still went on to score his fifth in the 90th minute which was the final goal of the game.
The result means Ighalo and his teammates are 10th in the CSL with eight points from seven matches.
Ighalo’s four goals come after compatriot Obafemi Martins also scored a hat-trick in the CSL this season.
The goals should come as good news for Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr as he prepares for the upcoming friendly matches.
