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Tolu Arokodare was on target for Genk in the Belgian First Division A, while Moses Simon On an assist for Nantes in Ligue One on a weekend, Nigerians found the back of the net with reckless abandon, writes GODWIN AIKIGBE
TOLU AROKODARE (GENK 3-2 SINT-TRUIDEN)
Arokodare continued to beckon on Super Eagles selectors with a consistent top-draw display for Genk as he opened the scoring in his team’s 3-2 home win over Sint-Truiden in a First Division A Game Week 11 encounter at Cegeka Arena on Sunday.
He put the home team in front on 18 minutes, assisted by Bonsu Baah. The Nigerian later assisted El Ouahdi for their third goal in 45 minutes.
Arokodare, who was replaced by Hyeon-Gyu Oh on 85 minutes, took his tally to seven, setting him in the pole position of the First Division A goalscoring charts.
His compatriot, Yira Sor, was introduced in the match on 78 minutes.
MOSES SIMON (NANTES 1-1 NICE)
Simon continued in his rich vein of form for Nantes, rendering an assist in their 1-1 draw at home to OGC Nice in a French Ligue 1 Game week 8 fixture at Stade de la Beaujoire-LLouis Fonteneau, Nantes.
The irrepressible forward helped his team take the lead by providing an assist for Abline, whose superb strike kissed the net for a deserved lead on 67 minutes. The Canaries couldn’t defend the lead as the visitors clawed their way back to draw level through Guessand on 72 minutes.
Simon, 29, has taken part in every one of the club’s seven Ligue 1 games in 2024/2025, an ever-present feature by starting in all seven.
He has notched two Ligue 1 goals this term, making him tied as the club’s top league scorer, and registered two assists. He was last on target in the league in the 3-1 win against Montpellier on August 31, netting in the 52nd minute. He opened his account for the campaign against Auxerre on August 25, scoring during a 2-0 victory.
ADEMOLA LOOKMAN (VENEZIA 0-2 ATALANTA)
The African Player of the Year in waiting starred for the first stanza before being pulled off for Juan Cuadrado in the 46th minutes as Atalanta triumphed 2-0 at Venezia in a Serie A Game Week 8 encounter at Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo.
Lookman has taken part in five Serie A matches in 2024/2025 overall and played 329 minutes. He has started in four of these appearances across their eight fixtures and entered as a substitute on one occasion.
In total, the attacker has netted two goals this term, making him tied as the club’s second-top league scorer, and provided two assists.
CHUKWUBUIKEM IKWUEMESI
(OH LEUVEN 1-1 ROYAL ANTWERP)
One of the unsung Nigerians in the Belgian elite division, Ikwuemesi played from the start until the 88th minute, when he was replaced by Mickaël Christophe Biron as his club drew 1-1 against Antwerp in a First Division A Game Week 11 encounter at King Power at Den Dreef Stadion ,Heverlee.
Ikwuemesi has appeared in the vast majority of the side’s First Division A matches in 2024/2025, making nine appearances overall and accumulating 189 minutes of playing time. He has started in one of these appearances across their 10 fixtures and been mostly used off the bench on eight occasions.
The attacker is without a goal in his first nine appearances of the league season.
His compatriot, Victor Udoh, started from the bench for the visitors before being introduced two minutes from regulation time.
KENNETH OMERUO (ALANYASPOR 1-2 KASIMPASA)
While Victor Osimhen’s spectacular goal for Galatasaray is still enjoying reviews, Kenneth Omeruo was not listed by Kasimpasa, who secured a 2-1 win against Alanyaspor at GAIN Park Stadium, Alanya.
The 29-year-old Nigeria defender has made five league appearances for Kasimpasa this term.
SATURDAY ROUNDUP
Victor Osimhen marked his return from injury with a spectacular overhead kick goal that sealed a 3-0 victory for Galatasaray against Antalyaspor in the Turkish Super Lig on Saturday.
The 25-year-old Nigeria international, who had been sidelined for two weeks due to a hamstring injury, came off the bench to deliver a moment of magic that left fans and pundits in awe.
With this stunning strike, Osimhen has now tallied three goals and four assists in just five appearances for Galatasaray since his high-profile loan move from Napoli in the summer transfer window. His immediate impact has justified the Turkish giants’ investment and reinforced his status as one of Nigeria’s premier footballers.
In England, Joe Aribo ended his six-month Premier League goal drought for Southampton, but it wasn’t enough to prevent a 3-2 defeat against Leicester City.
Aribo scored in the 28th minute to give Southampton a 2-0 lead, but Leicester, featuring Nigerian midfielder Wilfred Ndidi, mounted a stunning comeback to snatch all three points.
Meanwhile, Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey endured a disappointing afternoon as Fulham suffered a 3-1 home defeat to Aston Villa at Craven Cottage. Bassey had a moment to forget as his deflection led to Villa’s equaliser in the 24th minute.
In Italy, Samuel Chukwueze ended his eight-game goal drought for AC Milan, netting the winner in a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Udinese at the San Siro. The 24-year-old’s decisive strike secured three crucial points for the 10-man Rossoneri and marked his first goal of the 2024/25 season.
In the Championship, Semi Ajayi and Josh Maja started for West Bromwich Albion in their 1-1 draw with Oxford United. Maja was substituted in the 83rd minute.
Umar Sadiq was an unused substitute in Real Sociedad’s 1-0 win over Girona in La Liga.
In the German Bundesliga, Victor Boniface redeemed himself from an early penalty miss to score the winning goal for Bayer Leverkusen in their 2-1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt at the BayArena.
The Nigeria striker, who has been in scintillating form since joining Leverkusen in the summer of 2023, saw his early penalty saved by Frankfurt goalkeeper Kevin Trapp. However, Boniface showed great resilience to head home the winner late in the game from Florian Wirtz’s cross.
The goal was Boniface’s eighth in nine Bundesliga appearances this season, further cementing his status as one of the league’s most prolific strikers.
However, Frank Onyeka, who started for Augsburg, suffered a 3-1 defeat against Freiburg. He was substituted in the 85th minute.
In Belgium, Raphael Onyedika provided an assist for Club Brugge’s opening goal in their 2-1 victory over Westerlo in the Jupiler Pro League. It was Onyedika’s second assist of the season across all competitions.
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