โฆas Al-Hilal bids $400,000 for NPFL hotshot, Lokosa
Nigerian players scored goals for fun at the weekend with the trio of Simeon ‘Simy’ Nwankwo, Odion Ighalo and Emeka Eze scoring a brace in Italy, China and Austria in that order.
There was however a tinge of scare for football aficionados in the country following the injury sustained by Wilfred Ndidi- arguably the best midfielder in the Super Eagles squad. The Leicester star, had to be substituted in the early stages of the second half and it remains to be seen whether he will miss the 2018 World Cup.
In this report, the New Editor, ADEBAYO OLODAN reports on the performances of Super Eagles players and hopefuls in major leagues across the globe.
ENGLAND
Victor Moses (Chelsea):ย The wingback made his 34th Premier League appearance this season as his club defeated Swansea 1-0 at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday. Moses who lasted 90 minutes was cautioned by the centre referee.
Wilfred Ndidi and Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City):ย The duo were handed starting roles in their team’s 5-0 loss away to Crystal Palace. While Iheanacho was replaced at half time, Ndidi was replaced in the 51st minute due to an injury.
Ndidi has made 33 EPL appearances this season while Iheanacho has 18 games under his belt with a goal and two assists.
Alex Iwobi (Arsenal):ย The midfielder played all 90 minutes as his team lost 1-2 at Manchester United.
CHAMPIONSHIP
Hope Akpan (Burton Albion) & Sammy Ameobi (Bolton):ย The Arsenal loanee scored his first goal for his club in their 2-0 defeat of Bolton Wanderers. Akpan finished off a lovely team play in the 28th minute to hand his side the lead. He has made 24 appearances this season.
Ameobi lasted the entire duration of the defeat for Bolton and it was his 34th appearance this season.
Ola Aina (Hull City):ย He played all 90 minutes in Hull City’s 2-0 defeat at home to promotion-chasing Cardiff City. The game was Aina’s 45th appearance this season for Hull in the English Championship.
Bright Osayi-Samuel (QPR):ย The midfielder netted his first-ever goal in the Championship as his team claimed a 3-1 win at home to Birmingham City. Osayi-Samuel fired a shot into the bottom corner to make it 1-1. He was replaced in the 69th minute.
LA LIGA
Oghenekaro Etebo, Emmanuel Emenike and Imoh Ezekiel (Las Palmas):ย Etebo and Ezekiel were both handed starts in the Spanish La Liga season for Las Palmas who played out a 1-1 draw away with Espanyol. While Etebo saw 90 minutes of action, Ezekiel was replaced in the 69th minute. As for Emenike, he was not considered for the match.
SERIE A
‘Simy’ continues scoring spree with brace
Leggy forward, Simeon ‘Simy’ Nwankwo netted for the third consecutive game, grabbing a brace in Crotone’s 4-1 victory against Sassuolo.
For the fourth straight game, the 25-year old played from start to finish.
He scored in the 16th and 89th minute, to take his league goals tally to six.
The victory moved Crotone four points clear of the drop zone.
Two weeks ago, the Nigerian grabbed the headlines in Italy when he scored a stunning bicycle-kick similar to Cristiano Ronaldo’s goal, against league leaders, Juventus. The goals was followed by a close-range finish at Udinese.
RUSSIA
Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow):ย The former VVV Venlo forward lasted 90 minutes when his team played out a goalless draw with Zenit St. Petersburg.
Aaron Samuel, Brian Idowu and Fegor Ogude (Amkar Perm): Idowu lasted 90 mins while Samuel was introduced in the 63rd minute when their team lost 0-2 at home to Spartak Moscow. Ogude was not listed for the match.
GERMANY
Leon Balogun and Anthony Ujah (Mainz) & Lookman Ademola (RB Leipzig):ย Ujah was an unused substitute while Balogun was not listed when his team defeated RB Leipzig 3-0. Ademola was introduced in the 64th minute of the match.
Emeka Eze (Sturm Graz):ย He scored a brace in the 3rd and 27th minute and lasted the distance as his team secured a 4-2 win over Rapid Wien.
Jordan Torunarigha (Hertha Berlin):ย He watched the proceedings of the match from the substitutes’ bench as his team drew 2-2 at home to Augsburg.
Kevin Akpoguma (Hoffenheim):ย He lasted the duration of his club’s 3-1 defeat of Hannover 96.
Victor Osimhen (Wolfsburg):ย He was not listed when his team lost 2-2 at home to Hamburg.
TURKEY
Kenneth Omeruo and Samuel Emem Eduok (Kasimpasa):ย Omeruo played all 90minutes while Eduok played the last 12 minutes of their team’s 1-4 defeat to Fernabache
Ikechukwu Godson Azubuike (Yeni Malatyaspor):ย The former U-23 skipper was substituted in the 87th minute of his team’s goalless draw at home to Akhisarspor.
Ogenyi Onazi (Tranzonspor):ย He returned from injury to play all 90 minutes of his team’s 2-1 win over Antalyaspor. Onazi has made 19 league appearances for Trabzonspor this season.
Aminu Umar (Osmanlispor):ย He was introduced in the 72nd minute of his club’s 1-4 loss to Istanbul Basaksehir.
Elvis Manu (Genclerbirligi):ย He lasted the duration of his club’s 0-1 loss at Sivasspor.
NETHERLANDS
Tyronne Ebuehi (ADO Den Haag):ย He was not part of the match day squad when his team drew 3-3 at home to PSV Eindhoven.
Kingsley Ehizibue (PEC Zwolle):ย He logged 90 minutes of his team’s 0-1 loss at home to Willem II.
Cyriel Dessers (FC Utrecht):ย The winger was substituted in the 65th minute of his team’s 2-2 draw at Heracles.
Umar Sadiq (NAC Breda):ย The former U-23 forward played the last five minutes of his club’s 3 โ 0 spanking of SC Heerenveen.
Kelechi Nwakali (MVV Maastricht):ย The former schoolboy international scored his fifth of the season in all competitions but it wasn’t enough as his team lost 1-2 at Ajax Amsterdam. The attacking midfielder converted a spot-kick in the 63rd minute.
BELGIUM
Peter Olayinka (Zulte Waregem):ย The striker now has a hand in 24 goals (9 goals, 15 assists) from 35 appearances after writing his name on the score-sheet in their 2-1 win at Taiwo Awoniyi’s Royal Excel Mouscron. The Gent loanee grabbed the winner in the 66th minute off an assist from Hamalainen.
SWEDEN
Chima Akas and Gbenga Arokoyo (Kalmar FF):ย The former Enyimba left-back, Akas lasted 90 minutes while former Kwara Football Academy (KFA) defender, Arokoyo was an unused substitute when their team won 3-0 against FF Malmo.
UKRAINE
Olarenwaju Kayode (Shakhtar Donestk):ย The striker scored the only goal in the 65th minute of his club’s 1-0 away win at Maripol.
AUSTRIA
Alhassan Muazam Ibrahim (Austria Wien):ย The former Akwa Utd forward was not listed when his team suffered a 2-3 loss at home to Mattersburg.
Majeed Ashimeru (Wolfsberger AC):ย He was introduced in the 66th minute of his team’s 2-4 loss at Admira Moedling.
Yusuf Otubanjo (Altach): He came off the substitutes’ bench in the 46th and was cautioned 19 minutes later as his team suffered a 0-2 at home to LASK.
SWITZERLAND
Stephen Odey (FC Zurich):ย He was an unused substitute when his club drew 3-3 with FC Sion.
DENMARK
Ayo Simon Okosun (AC Horsens):ย He logged 90 minutes when his team crashed 2-3 at home to FC Copenhagen.
Frank Onyeka (FC Midtjylland):ย He was substituted in the 74th minute of his team’s 2-0 defeat of AaB.
FINLAND
Gomo Onduku (Ilves):ย He was an unused substitute when his team drew 1-1 at home to JJK.
SUDAN
Al-Hilal bids $400,000 NPFL hotshot, Lokosa
Current top scorer in Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), Junior Lokosa of Kano Pillars is closing in on a move to Al-Hilal of Sudan, after a bid from Enyimba was rejected by his club.
Lokosa has 14 goals in 17 league games this season and Enyimba who are having issues in their attack were hoping to lure the forward particularly to boost their campaign in the CAF Confederation Cup.
Pillars refused selling him to a direct rival but are opened to the idea of him leaving for a club abroad, and last week a bid was tabled for his services by Sudanese side Al-Hilal.
Al-Hilal’s bid for the 24 year old is thought to be in the region of over $400,000, which could be enough to force Pillars into doing a deal but most likely at the end of the season.
On his part Lokosa wants to remain at Pillars until the end of the season as he wants to finish as top scorer, and possibly set a new record in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).
TUNISIA
CS Sfaxien rejects Etoile’s offer for Sokari
Tunisian club, CS Sfaxien has rejected offer from Etoile du Sahel for their influential midfielder, Kingsley Sokari.
The ‘African Juventus’ as CS Sfaxien is known said it would rather sell the former Enyimba player to Europe or any other club abroad instead of selling to a rival club like Etoile.
Sokari who is a versatile midfielder joined the Tunisian club from former domestic league champions, Enyimba in December 2015.
CS Sfaxien presently have another Nigerian player in their squad, Kingsley Eduwo.
CHINA
Odion Ighalo (Changchun Yatai):ย The striker continued his imperious form as he scored a brace in the 16th and 61st minute of his team’s 2-1 win over Shanghai SIPG. Ighalo has now scored six goals in his last two games and a total of seven goals in eight matches.
Nigerian-Brazilian striker, Uzoukwu, stakes claim for Eagles call-up
Sรฃo Paulo-born Nigerian striker, Dominic Uzoukwu is staking a claim for a call-up to the Super Eagles in future after scoring his fourth goal in seven league matches in Beijing BG’s 1-1 draw against Zhejiang Greentown in the Chinese League One on Saturday.
Beijing BG parted company with two Nigerian attackers Victor Anichebe and Leke James in the January transfer window following the capture of Dominic from Danish outfit Vejle.
It took Dominic 24 minutes and 14 seconds to open the scoring at the Beijing Olympic Sports Centre Stadium when his spectacular diving header beat goalkeeper Zou Dehai.
He proved a handful for Zhejiang Greentown’s defenders and tried to create his own chances when not setting up his teammates in attack.
The striker’s header narrowly missed target on 35 minutes, before Cheng Jin grabbed an equaliser against the run of play in first-half injury time.
In the 58th minute, Dominic could have netted the game-winning goal but saw his half-volley deflected behind for a corner after a delightful ball into the box from Fan Lingjiang. His other strikes this season came against Zhejiang Yiteng and Shenzhen.
