Onyekuru, Kalu, Simon weigh in assist, goal in France

After making the switch from Everton to AS Monaco, 22-year-old striker, Henry Onyekuru bagged an assist at the weekend in his home debut for the French club but his team failed to secure the three points. Also in France, diminutive forward, Moses Simon scored the winner for Nantes just as Samuel Kalu contributed an assist to lift Boardeaux. 
Elsewhere, Alex Iwobi’s debut for Premier League club, Everton, ended in defeat while Francis Uzoho may be pushing for a return to the Super Eagles goal after keeping a clean sheet in Cyprus. 
In yet another package, the News Editor, ADEBAYO OLODAN reports the performances of Super Eagles’ players and hopefuls in various leagues abroad.  

ENGLAND
Alex Iwobi (Everton): He made his debut for the Toffees as he was introduced in the 63rd min and struck the woodwork as his team suffered a 0-2 loss to Aston Villa.
Leon Balogun (Brighton): The central defender wasn’t included in Graham Potters’ squad for the game against Southampton at the Amex Stadium. It ended 2-0 in favor of the Saints.
Wilfred Ndidi and Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City): The duo were left out of the match day squad, with the former suffering from hamstring injury as the Foxes earned a 2-1 victory over Premier League newcomers, Sheffield United.
Tammy Abraham & Fikayo Tomori (Chelsea): The 2-1year-old scored a brace as his club secured a 3-2 win at Norwich City. His compatriot, Tomori was an unused substitute.
Bukayo Saka (Arsenal): The youngster was not included in the match day squad as his team suffered a 1-3 loss against Liverpool at Anfield.
Man City, Ajax, Napoli monitoring U-17 star, Babatunde
Manchester City, Ajax and Napoli are reportedly keeping close tabs on 16-year-old U-17 international, Adeleke Babatunde.
Babatunde currently captains the Golden Eaglets team and should be featuring in this year’s World Cup. According to Goal, Manchester City along with the likes of Napoli, Ajax, RB Leipzig and Lille are interested in signing him before his 18th birthday owing to FIFA regulations.
Babatunde came under the radar of European clubs after impressing in last year’s Africa Youth Games where he helped his country clinch the silver medal.
City and the other clubs will definitely keep an eye on the 16-year-old attacking midfielder during the U17 World Cup which starts in October. He could also attract the attention by putting in a good showing in the competition. Nigeria is the most successful in the history of the U17 World Cup and will certainly be among the favourites for this year’s tournament.
CHAMPIONSHIP
Stephen Eze (QPR):  He scored one and bagged an assist in his team’s 3-1 home win against Wigan. Eze netted QPR’s second goal and provided the assist for the third goal scored by Jordan Hugill. He has now scored two goals in five English Championship appearances for the London club this season.
Semi Ajayi (West Brom): He played his fifth consecutive game for his club as they forced their hosts, Derby County to a 1-1 draw. Ajayi has played every minute of West Brom’s league game this season.
Oghenekaro Etebo (Stoke City): He made his first start of the campaign but couldn’t prevent his team from going down (3-0) at home to Leeds United. The diminutive midfielder was in action for 90 mins in the game.
SCOTLAND
Funso Ojo (Aberdeen): He put in a full shift when his club played a goalless draw against Kilmarnock.
SPAIN
Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal): The pacy forward lasted 90 mins of his team’s 1-2 loss against Levante. He completed 81 per cent of his passes, making three passes and also creating two big chances.
Ramon Azeez (Granada): The former U-20 skipper was a non-playing substitute when his team suffered a heartbreaking 0-1 loss at home to Sevilla.
FRANCE
Samuel Kalu (Bordeaux): The winger provided an assist in his club’s 2-0 away win at Dijon. Kalu laid the pass for Hwang Ui-jo’s opening goal for Bordeaux and was as replaced 10 mins from regulation time.
Henry Onyekuru (AS Monaco): The striker got an assist in his home debut as his club was held 2-2 against Nimes. The 22-year-old in the 39th min set-up Islam Slimani to give his team the lead and was withdrawn in the 74th min of the match. He completed 73 per cent of his passes and won four duels.
Simon, creative player we needed
FC Nantes coach Christian Gourcuff has described the club’s summer loan signing from Levante, Moses Simon, as an important creative player who will help improve his team this term.
Super Eagles winger, Simon, was the last summer signing of FC Nantes and he joined the French club on a season loan from the Spanish club.
Gourcuff handed the AFCON 2019 bronze medal winner his debut in FC Nantes’ second Ligue 1 match of the season at Amiens on Saturday, replacing Abdoul Kaer Bamba in the 73rd minute with the scoreline at 1-1. Simon went on to score the winner in the 84th minute for the Canaries.
He could have bagged a brace if his header later in the game hadn’t come off the crossbar.
Aside his goal, the Nigerian brought in creativity in the final third for Nantes to the admiration of Gourcuff.
“We cannot hide the fact that we played with numerical superiority for a long time. We are progressing. In game run, we are consistent. We must know how to hold on to this and be comfortable. I think We are progressing, but the observations are the same: we need a little more creativity in the last 25 meters. Moses’ [Simon] entry is interesting in this sense,” Gourcuff told FC Nantes official website.
GERMANY
Karim Onisiwo and Taiwo Awoniyi (Mainz 05): Onisiwo who lasted the duration of the match was cautioned in the 45th min while his teammate, Awoniyi was introduced in the 65th min as their club crashed 1-3 at home to Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Suleiman Abdullahi and Anthony Ujah (Union Berlin): Ujah was substituted in the 71st min while Abdullahi who played the last 23 mins was cautioned in the 90th min of their club’s 1-1 at Augsburg.
Kingsley Ehizibue (FC Koln): He impressed in defence as his club secured a 3-1 win at home to Borussia Dortmund. The 24-year-old who joined the German club from PEC Zwolle lasted the duration of the match.
I want to play for Eagles, says England youth Int’l, Egbo
SV Darmstadt Anglo-Nigerian defender, Mandela Egbo has expressed his willingness to switch allegiance from the English national team to the senior national team of Nigeria.
The 22-yr-old played 15 games for England at youth level where he turned out for their U-16s and progressed to the U-18 after impressing in the eight games he played with the U-17s.
“He (Egbo) will play for Nigeria if he’s called up. That’s not even up for debate. It has always been his dream and if it happens no way is he saying no to it”, his representative told Owngoalnigeria.com.
The ex-Crystal Palace trainee recently moved to second division German side SV Darmstadt from Borussia Monchengladbach where injury and fitness issues hindered his progress to the first team.
DIV 2
Chima Okoroji (SSV Jahn Regensburg): The left-back lasted the duration of his team’s 1-3 loss at home to DSC Arminia Bielefeld.
Marvin Ajani (SV Wehen Wiesbaden): He was removed in the 43rd min of his team’s 3-3 draw at VfL Bochum 1848.
PORTUGAL
Tyronne Ebuehi (Benfica): The right back was not listed when his club suffered a 0-2 reverse at home to Portuguese giants, FC Porto.
Nwankwo Obiora (Boavista): The former U-20 midfielder was cautioned in the 45th min and was replaced at the beginning of second half as his team secured a 1-1 draw against Pacos de Ferreira.
HOLLAND
Ike Ugbo (Roda JC): The Chelsea loanee scored his first competitive goal for his new club in their 2-1 loss to NEC. The former England U-17 star made an immediate impact after coming off the bench in the 66th min as he slotted home a minute later to make it 2-1.
Cyriel Dessers (Heracles): He was on song in the 80th min to draw level for his team 1-1 draw against SC Heerenveen.
Chidera Ejuke and Hamdi Akujobi (FC Twente): Ejuke was substituted with 7 mins left to play while Akujobi was an unused substitute in their club’s goalless draw against Vitesse.
AUSTRIA
Yusuf Otubanjo (LASK): He was an unused substitute when his club earned a 2-1 win at Rapid Wien.
Victor Olatunji (Mattersburg): The youngster lasted 90 mins of his team’s 0-1 loss at home to SKN St. Poelten.
Daniel Adejo (Lamia): The former U-20 defender lasted the duration of his club’s 1-1 draw with Panathinaikos.
Brown Ideye (Aris Thessaloniki): The Super Eagles outcast led the line for 90 mins when his club secured a 1-1 draw at home to OFI Crete.
TURKEY
Anthony Uzodimma (Kayserispor): He was benched for 90 mins when his team drew 1-1 with Ankaragucu.
Okechukwu Azubuike (Istanbul Basaksehir) & Victor Moses (Fenerbahce): Azubuike lasted the entirety of his team’s 1-2 loss at home to Fenerbahce for whom Moses was missing.
NORWAY
Samuel Adegbenro and Babajide David Akintola (Rosenborg BK): Adegbenro scored in the 63rd min while Akintola was substituted in the 65th min of their club’s 3-2 defeat of Stabaek.
DIV 1
Onyekachi Hope Ugwuadu (Aalesund): He scored in the 53rd min to even scores (1-1) but was sent off in the 90th min after a second bookable offence when his team secured a 2-1 win at Sandnes.
SWEDEN
John Junior Igbarumah and Okechukwu Offia (Sirius): Igbarumah was substituted in the 61st min while his teammate, Offia was a non-playing substitute in their club’s 3-4 loss to Oerebro.
CYPRUS
Francis Uzoho (Omonia Nicosia): The Super Eagles goalkeeper kept a clean sheet as his club secured a 2-0 win away at Doxa Katokopias. The 20-year-old Deportivo La Coruna loanee was thrown between the sticks and he grabbed the opportunity with both hands.
ALBANIA
Theophilus Solomon (FK Partizani Tirane): He had his worst possible start to life in Albania as he was sent off on his debut for the club as they lost 0-1 to FK Kukesi. The 23-year-old was given the marching orders two minutes after the hour mark following a brawl with Bruno Lulaj left both teams with 10men.
FINLAND
Faith Friday Obilor (HJK): The defender lasted the entirety of his team’s 1-0 win at Honka.
SAUDI ARABIA
Ahmed Musa (Al Nassr): The Super Eagles skipper began the 2019/202 Saudi Arabia Professional League season on the high as he set-up his club’s first goal in their 2-0 win over newly promoted Damac FC. After a cagey 20 mins, Musa combined with Amrabat before setting up Giuliano to head home the opener in the 24th min for Al-Nassr.