Despite some European leagues already on recess, there were goals aplenty scored by Nigerian players. Leading the charge of those players on target is Gaziantep of Turkey striker, Olanrewaju Kayode. The former Flying Eagles star scored twice in a 7-goal thriller to help his team secure the three points.
Also on song at the weekend are: Cyriel Dessers in the Netherlands, Victor Osimhen in France, Joe Aribo in Scotland and Emmanuel Dennis in Belgium among others.
However, one player who stole the headlines in Germany is a certain 18-year-old striker of Nigerian descent; Joshua Orobosa Zirkzee, who scored Bayern Munich’s first goal, two minutes after being introduced on his debut for the German team.
The News Editor, ADEBAYO OLODAN, yet again captures the performances of Super Eagles players and hopefuls abroad.
ENGLAND
Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) & Alex Iwobi (Everton): Saka impressed in an unfamiliar left-back role and lasted the duration of his team’s goalless draw with Everton for whom Iwobi was substituted in the 11th min after sustaining an injury against his former team. Saka was cautioned in the 28th min of the match.
Isaac Success (Watford): The striker made a rare appearance in the 87th min of his club’s 2-0 famous defeat of Manchester Utd. The match is only his fourth Premier League appearance of the season, having previously played as a substitute in games against Brighton & Hove, Newcastle United and Leicester City.
The former Granada man has been plagued by injuries yet again this season and when he’s fit, he’s behind Troy Deeney, Andre Gray, Gerard Deulofeu and Ismaïla Sarr in the pecking order of offensive players at Watford.
Wilfred Ndidi and Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City): Ndidi went the distance and was cautioned in the 51st min of his club’s 1-3 loss at Manchester City. His teammate, Iheanacho was a non-playing substitute.
Leon Balogun (Brighton):He was not listed for his club’s 0-1 loss at home to Sheffield United.
Saka weighs up int’l options
Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka, who is eligible to play for both Nigeria and England, says he is weighing up his international options but will not rush his decision.
“I am always thinking about it but I haven’t made a decision yet,” the 18-year-old told BBC Sport.
Saka, born to Nigerian parents, has so far represented England at youth level.
The Arsenal youth academy graduate said neither England nor Nigeria had so far approached him about his senior international future.
“No-one has been in touch but when I make a decision you will find out,” said Saka.
The talented winger is having a breakthrough season with Arsenal.
He made his Premier League debut at the age of 17 – making history in the process when he became the first footballer born in 2001 to play in the Premier League.
The young Arsenal star paid tribute to former Gunners coach Unai Emery for giving him his chance.
“I have a lot of thanks to give him because he gave me so much confidence, he gave me my debut and he kept pushing me. I am grateful to him always.
“It’s just something I have always dreamed of, coming up from the academy to the first team.”
Now Saka says he is focused on the future with Arsenal’s newly appointed manager, Mikel Arteta.
“I have heard positive things about him and I am looking forward to working with him.”
Ndidi more important to Leicester than Vardy – Paul Merson
Former Arsenal captain and English Premier League legend Paul Merson has said Wilfred Ndidi is more important to the Leicester City team that top striker Jamie Vardy.
Vardy has earned most of the accolades for his goal scoring run in what has been a very fine start to the season for the Foxes who are currently second on the English Premier League table behind run away leaders Liverpool.
Although Ndidi who has been ever present has also earned credit for their impressive run but Merson believe he is one player the team can’t do without at the moment as he is the only one they have in his position.
“Ndidi is the one player they have to pray stays fit because they don’t have his replacement. If he gets injured it means they will be forced to either switch formation or risk getting blown away with this style without the Nigerian.
“Vardy has been effective in the opponent’s half but they can cope in his absence but look at Ndidi how can they cope without him. He is everything that brings stability to them when they need to see off games or take it to the opponents”.
CHAMPIONSHIP
Josh Onomah (Fulham): The former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder netted the winning goal in the 69th min, smashing the ball home after it dropped for him – his first goal for the club – in their 2-1 victory over Leeds Utd.
SCOTLAND
Joe Aribo and Sheyi Ojo (Rangers): Aribo capped a brilliant performance with his team’s second goal in the 8th min of their 3-0 away defeat of Hibernian and was replaced by Ojo in the 75th min of the match.
GERMANY
Joshua Orobosa Zirkzee (Bayern Munich): The 18-year-old striker, who was born in the Netherlands scored two mins into his Bundesliga debut as his club defeated Wolfsburg 2-0. The goal scored by Zirkzee, who was introduced for Phillipe Coutinho in the 83rd min was Bayern’s first goal of the match.
Karim Onisiwo and Taiwo Awoniyi (Mainz 05): Awoniyi was not listed while Onisiwo played the last three mins of their club’s 0-1 loss at home to Bayer Leverkusen.
Anthony Ujah (Union Berlin): He was a 62nd min entrant when his team suffered a 2-1 loss at Fortuna Dusseldorf.
Jamilu Collins (Paderborn 07): The overlapping left-back assisted the opener in the 9th min and was cautioned with eight minutes left to play when his team defeated Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1.
FRANCE
Victor Osimhen (Lille) & Henry Onyekuru (AS Monaco): Osimhen grabbed his 10th league goal of the season in a 5-1 loss of his club at Monaco for whom Onyekuru was not listed. The former Charleroi forward becomes the 5th Nigerian to hit double figures in a single Ligue 1 season after Victor Ikpeba, Osaze Odemwingie, John Utaka and Brown Ideye.
Simon Moses (Nantes): It was a tough day in office for the diminutive winger who suffered a late 1-2 defeat at home to Angers.
Samuel Kalu and Josh Maja (Bordeaux): Kalu lasted the entirety of his club’s 0-1 loss at Rennes while his colleague, Maja was not listed for the encounter.
HOLLAND
Cyriel Dessers (Heracles) & Chidera Ejuke and Hamdi Akujobi (SC Heerenveen): Dessers broke his personal record for goals in half a season after finding the net in the 54th min when his team drew 1-1 with Hereenven. The goal was his 12th league goal, surpassing a personal record he first set during the 2016-2017 season while playing in the Dutch second-tier for NAC Breda. On the opposing side, Ejuke was substituted in the 88th min while his teammate, Akujobi was a non-playing substitute.
Joel Asoro (FC Groningen): The former Sunderland forward was cautioned in the 78th min but lasted the duration of his team’s 2-0 defeat of FC Emmen.
ITALY
William Troost-Ekong (Udinese): He was a Trojan in the heart of defence as his team secured a 2-1 win over Cagliari.
Ola Aina (Torino): The former Chelsea youngster went the distance of his club’s 1-2 loss at home to SPAL.
SERIE B
Simy Nwankwo (Crotone): The leggy forward failed to score and was cautioned in the 36th min before being substituted with 20 mins left to play when his club defeated Livorno 2-1.
SPAIN
Kenneth Omeruo and Chidozie Awaziem (Leganes): The duo featured for 90 mins as their club recorded a 2-0 win against Espanyol at the Estadio Municipal de Butarque. Awaziem was booked in the 68th minute for a poor tackle. They have featured in 11 league games each for Leganes this season.
Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal): He was in the starting eleven as his team defeated visiting Getafe 1-0 and was later replaced with 10 mins left to play. Chukwueze has made 17 league appearances and has scored three goals for Villarreal this season.
DIV 2
James Igbekeme (Real Zaragoza): He was a 56th min substitute as 9-man Zaragoza suffered a 2-1 defeat against Huesca.
BELGIUM
Imoh Ezekiel and Abduljeleel Ajagun (Kortrijk): Ezekiel who was cautioned in the 20th min scored the opening goal in the 29th min of his team’s 2-1 win at Eupen. Ezekiel was substituted after 72 mins while his teammate, Ajagun, made a cameo appearance as a 90th min substitute.
Emmanuel Dennis and David Okereke (Club Brugge): Dennis gave his team a 57th min lead and lasted the entirety of the 1-1 draw at Gent while his colleague, Okereke was an unused substitute.
Stephen Odey and Paul Onuachu (Genk): Leggy forward, Onuachu, made the starting line-up and was substituted in the 63rd min of his team’s 0-2 loss to Anderlecht. His teammate, Odey was introduced in the 80th min of the match.
TURKEY
Olarenwaju Kayode (Gaziantep FK): He was the star of the show for the second successive game, scoring a brace and setting up one as his team defeated Kasimpasa 4-3 in a seven-goal thriller in Istanbul.
It took Kayode less than six minutes to open the scoring, he delivered the ball to Ozer to make it 2-1 on 21 minutes, before scoring from the spot just before half-time.
Aminu Umar (Rizespor): The former U-23 striker scored in the 72nd min of his team’s 2-0 road win against Yeni Malatyaspor. Umar who lasted the duration of the match was cautioned seven mins into the second half of the match.
Paul Mukairu (Antalyaspor): He was introduced in the 66th min of his club’s 2-2 draw with Ankaragucu.
Victor Moses (Fenerbahce): The Chelsea loanee was not considered for his club’s 3-1 defeat of Besiktas.
Abdullahi Shehu (Bursaspor): Lasted the distance when his team fell 1-2 to Menemenspor.
Azubuike Okechukwu (Istanbul Basaksehir): The former U-23 captain was introduced in the 90th min of the 4-1 away win at Kayserispor.
Onazi sends message to Rohr on Eagles’ return
Ogenyi Onazi has sent a message to Genort Rohr about Super Eagles returned ahead of 2020 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in March.
The 26-year-old Trabzonspor midfielder ruptured his Achilles tendon against Rizespor in a Turkish Super Lig game on December 23, 2018, which has since sidelined him from action including missing 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt last summer.
Onazi took a significant step towards gaining match fitness as he made his first appearance of the season against Basel in their final Europa League game in last week at St. Jacob Park but feature only 14 minutes in the Trabzonspor’s Turkish Cup 4-1 win over Altay Izmir on Thursday replacing English man Daniel Sturridge who scored a brace in the game at Medical Park Arena.
Former Lazio star told newsmen that he remains very much an Eagles going into next year ahead African section of qualifiers that start on March 2020.
“This is the best feeling ever to come back and do what it knows how to do best. I give thanks to God Almighty for his grace.
“The most important thing is to get back playing which I am doing now, every other thing will fall in place gradually.
“This is something every football player will miss for sure I do miss playing and now that I am back I have worked so hard to get to this point so I want to try to catch up all that I have missed for all this while and then workings towards the National team too,” Onazi added.
AUSTRIA
Golden Eaglets captain signs Red Bull Salzburg deal
Golden Eaglets captain, Samson Tijani has completed his move to Europe after months of controversy over his ownership status.
Tijani who captained the five-time U17 world champions to this year’s FIFA U17 World Cup in Brazil has reached a pre-contract agreement with Austrian giant, Red Bull Salzburg.
The pre-contract agreement of the 17-year-old midfielder was reached with his parent club Collins Edwin FC on Friday in Austria, his father was also part of the negotiation to give Parental consent.
“Tijani and his Academy have reached a pre-contract agreement with Red Bull Salzburg, he will be 18 next year May and he will sign a professional contract in May 2020. His Father and the representative of his Academy were in Austria to complete the process,” A family source revealed to me.
NORWAY
Chelsea makes teenage sensation, Fiabema, first signing
Norwegian side, Tromso have accepted around €600,000 from Chelsea for one of the exciting young strikers in the Norwegian Tippeliga, Bryan Fiabema, 16 a Nigerian descent. Fiabema who had a successful trial with the Premier League club has been likened to Chelsea forward, Tammy Abraham.
The Norwegian U-17 international is expected to be signed in January. The deal is Chelsea’s first signing since the club’s transfer ban was lifted.
When Norwegian television channel TV 2 contacted the Imad El Hammichi, the Norwegian agent who handles the affairs of Fiabema, to clarify reports suggesting that the Nigeria-eligible striker is heading to Chelsea in the January, he said, “I will neither confirm nor deny anything. But Bryan has made a good impression and we are in the process.”
El Hammichi works for London-based agency First Access Sports who look after Chelsea’s Nigerian youngsters Faustino Anjorin and Ike Ugbo, as well as first-teamer Callum Hudson-Odoi.
Tromso’s General Manager, Kristian Høydal however refused to confirm or deny whether an agreement has been reached with Chelsea.
Several European clubs, including SPAL in Italy, were interested in signing the 2003-born striker.
NORTH CYPRUS
Moses Akinade (Binatli YSK): He scored one and created two others for Binatli YSK in his team’s 6-3 entertaining win against Kucuk Kaymakli.
SOUTH AFRICA
Daniel Akpeyi (Kaizerchiefs): The former Heartland net-minder was in goal when his team was held to a 1-1 draw by Maritzburg United.
SAUDI ARABIA
Fenerbache keen on Musa signing, January
Turkish side Fenerbache want Super Eagles skipper in January transfer window from his Saudi Arabian club, Al-Nassr.
The 27-year-old Nigeria international featured for 90 minutes in Al Nassr’s 3-0 away win against Al Adallah at the Prince Abdullah bin Malawi Sports City Stadium on Thursday evening was linked with the Yellow Canaries last summer before he opted to join Saudi Arabian side.
According to Turkish paper, Fanatik claimed that Fenerbahce are hoping to bring Musa back to European football after making a huge impact with CSKA Moscow, winning three Russia Premier League titles.
Former Kano Pillars star who is currently the most capped Nigeria international having featured 85 times for the Super Eagles, scoring 15 times is unhappy with Al Nassr with his contract with his Saudi club until 2022 but an initial loan deal with an option to make the deal permanent could see the Nigerian forward move to Turkey soon.
Musa set to joined Victor Moses, Mikel John Obi, Ogenyi Onazi, Anthony Nwakaeme, Abdullahi Shehu, Sikiru Olatunbosun, Aminu Umar, Olarenwaju Kayode, Azubuike Okechukwu, Anthony Chigaemezu Uzodimma, and Paul Mukairu already form a strong Nigerian contingent in the Turkish top flight.
