It was a weekend marked by below-average performances from Nigerian stars in Europe, with many forwards failing to find the back of the net, except for the in-form Victor Osimhen. Osimhen scored his 19th goal of the season during Napoli’s 2-0 victory over Empoli, highlighting his exceptional form. Anthony Nlebem reports on how the country’s top players fared across Europe.
In Italy, William Troost-Ekong was absent from Salernitana’s squad for their 3-0 home win against Stadio Arechi due to a thigh injury, which is expected to sideline him for two weeks. The victory lifted Salernitana to 16th place, moving them away from the relegation zone. Victor Osimhen, however, continued his scoring streak, netting his 19th league goal in Napoli’s win over Empoli. This goal marked his 10th Serie A goal since the start of the year, helping Napoli extend their lead at the top of the table to 18 points. Osimhen has scored in his last eight domestic league games, bringing him closer to a potential top scorer award, with a total of 21 goals in all competitions this season. Tyronne Ebuehi, who started for Empoli, played 68 minutes in their loss, contributing to the team’s performance but unable to prevent them from dropping to 12th place.
In France, Moses Simon came on as a second-half substitute for Nantes in their 1-0 defeat to Rennes. Despite his introduction in the 68th minute, he could not help his team secure a point. This season, Simon has played in 21 Ligue 1 matches, scoring five goals and providing two assists. Folarin Balogun, starting for Reims, failed to score in their 3-0 victory over Toulouse, despite having a strong season with 15 goals in 23 appearances. Chiamaka Nnadozie, the Super Falcons goalkeeper, had a standout performance for Paris FC Women, keeping a clean sheet in their 3-0 win over Reims Women.
In England, Alex Iwobi started for Everton in their 2-0 home loss to Aston Villa. Despite the defeat, Iwobi was one of the standout players for his team, receiving the highest Sofascore rating of 7.8/10 for his performance. He contributed significantly to the attack with two key passes and six crosses. Kelechi Iheanacho and Wilfried Ndidi both started for Leicester City in their 1-0 defeat to Arsenal, with Ndidi making his first Premier League start in six games after recovering from injury. Iheanacho had a goal disallowed before being substituted. Paul Onuachu started for Southampton in their 1-0 loss to Leeds United, still searching for his first Premier League goal after four matches. Emmanuel Dennis was an unused substitute in Nottingham Forest’s heavy 4-0 defeat to West Ham, while Taiwo Awoniyi missed the match due to injury. Chuba Akpom could not extend his scoring run for Middlesbrough, playing the full match in their 2-0 loss to West Bromwich Albion.
In Belgium, Gift Orban started for KAA Gent in their 2-0 defeat to Club Brugge. Tolu Arokodare and Yira Sor featured for Genk in their 3-0 victory over Oostende, with Arokodare unfortunately sustaining an injury early in the match. Victor Boniface scored a brace for Union St. Gilloise, but his efforts were not enough to secure a win, as they lost 4-2 to Westerlo.
In Turkey, Olarenwaju Kayode scored the equalizer for Umraniyespor in their 1-1 draw against Adana Demirspor, showcasing his impact since joining the team. Kayode has registered one goal and one assist in two league matches, helping his struggling side. In Germany, Oladapo Afolayan provided an assist for Jackson Irvine, who scored the winning goal for FC St. Pauli in their match against Hansa Rostock. Afolayan has played five matches this season without scoring. Finally, in Holland, Calvin Bassey came off the bench for Ajax, contributing to their vital away victory against Vitesse, having made 20 league appearances this season.
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