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It was a weekend of exciting performances for Nigerian stars in Europe as Folarin Balogun took his goal tally to 18 goals, Chukwueze banged a brace at Santiago Bernabeu and Victor Olatunji grabbed the winner for Slovan Liberec. ANTHONY NLEBEM writes on how the players performed for their various clubs over the weekend
France
Folarin Balogun (Reims)
Arsenal loanee Balogun scored as Reims earned a 1-1 draw over Brest in their French Ligue 1 fixture played on Sunday at the Stade Auguste Delaune.
The Arsenal star was in the starting line-up and scored from the penalty spot in the 90th minute to take his goals tally to 18 goals in 29 league appearances this season.
The 21-year-old Brooklyn-born striker has enjoyed a brilliant run this season and has scored 19 goals in 31 appearances across all competitions for the Red and Whites.
Balogun is the second joint top scorer in Ligue 1, one goal shy of Lille striker Jonathan David and Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappé, both on 19 goals.
The former Middlesbrough forward has scored more times than Lionel Messi this term and is the only player to have scored against PSG, Marseille, Lens, Monaco and Rennes.
Moses Simon (Nantes)
Winger Simon was on the starting line-up for Nantes and helped the Canaries earn a vital home draw in their 2-2 stalemate versus Monaco in a Ligue 1 match on Sunday at the Stade de la Beaujoire.
The 27-year-old was in action for 90 minutes but could not break his goals drought as he has struggled for form and has not scored in 13 league matches.
Terem Moffi (OGC Nice)
Moffi was included in Didier Digard’s squad as OGC Nice suffered a 2-0 home defeat to visiting Paris Saint-Germain on match-day 30 of their Ligue 1 fixture on Saturday at the Allianz Riviera.
The 23-year-old striker, who has been in impressive form this season, played for 83 minutes before coming off for Badredine Bouanani.
Moffi has scored 16 goals in 26 Ligue 1 appearances this 2022/23 season.
Josh Maja (Girondins Bordeaux)
In the French Ligue 2, Maja was on the starting lineup and scored the opener for Girondins Bordeaux in their 2-0 win over SC Bastia on Saturday at the Matmut Atlantique.
The 24-year-old has been impressive for Bordeaux and has 13 goals and five assists in 30 league appearances to his name this season.
The Nigerian netted the opener in the 37th minute to become the fourth joint top scorer in Ligue 2, just two goals short of Saint-Étienne’s Jean-Philippe Krasso and Georges Mikautadze (15 goals).
The former Crystal Palace youth player got a yellow card in the first half and was substituted in the 78th minute.
Holland
Calvin Bassey (Ajax)
Defender Bassey was an unused substitute as the Dutch champions walloped Fortuna Sittard 4-0 in the Eredivisie at the Johan Cruijff ArenA Sunday.
The 23-year-old is yet to feature for the Lucky Ajax since he returned from international duty with Nigeria for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Guinea Bissau in March.
Spain
Samuel Chukwueze (Villareal)
Chukwueze scored a brace as Villareal defeated Real Madrid 3-2 in LaLiga at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday to take his goals tally to six goals this season.
The 23-year-old winger played for 90 minutes, with his goals helping the Yellow Submarine secure three points and dent Real Madrid’s LaLiga title hopes
Quique Setien’s side are unbeaten in six LaLiga games and are fifth on the table with 47 points, four points short of Real Sociedad, who are fourth on the log.
England
Ndidi, Iheanacho, Billing (Leicester City, Bournemouth)
Philip Billing, a Danish player of Nigerian descent, scored the winner as Bournemouth defeated struggling Leicester City 1-0 in a Premier League match at the King Power Stadium on Saturday.
Billing scored the winning goal in the first half, latching onto James Maddison’s shocking attempt at a back pass to coolly slot past Daniel Iversen.
The win moved Bournemouth out of the relegation zone with an impressive victory but piled more misery on the Foxes, who are now 19th on the English topflight log.
Wilfried Ndidi and Kelechi Iheanacho were in action for Leicester as they continued their poor run after manager Brendan Rodgers’ sack.
Iheanacho came on for Ricardo Pereira in the 72nd minute but could not help his side earn a point, while Ndidi played for 81 minutes.
Dennis, Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest)
Taiwo Awoniyi was in action for Nottingham Forest in their 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa in a Premier League fixture at Villa Park on Saturday.
The 25-year-old came on for Jonjo Shelvey in the 65th minute and was impressive. The former Union Berlin striker, who just recovered from a groin injury he sustained in January, has scored four goals in 17 appearances. Countryman Emmanuel Dennis was an unused substitute.
Onuachu, Aribo (Southampton)
Paul Onuachu was an unused substitute as Southampton lost 4-1 to Manchester City in a Premier League fixture played at St. Mary’s Stadium Saturday.
The 28-year-old striker is yet to register a Premier League goal for the struggling Saints since joining the team in January.
Onuachu’s compatriot Joe Aribo did not make Ruben Selles’ squad for the clash. The Saints are bottom of the Premier League table.
Chuba Akpom (Middlesbrough)
In the English Championship, Akpom continued his goalscoring form for Middlesbrough on Friday when he scored the opener, but his effort was not enough to seal a win as Boro lost 2-1 to Burnley, who gained promotion to the Premier League with the victory.
The 27-year-old has now scored in his sixth consecutive game in a row and is the leading scorer in the Championship with 26 goals in 33 appearances.
The former Arsenal youth player scored the equaliser for Boro from the penalty spot in the 48th minute.
Czech Republic
Victor Olatunji (Slovan Liberec)
Olatunji scored the winner in Slovan Liberec’s 2-1 win against FC Fastav Zlin in the Czech Fortuna Liga at the Stadion U Nisy on Saturday.
The forward was a second half substitute and was impressive, with his winner moving Liberec to 10th position on the table.
The former AEK Larnaca forward has now scored three goals in 10 appearances this season.
Wale Alli (Zbrojovka Brno)
Winger Alli was on parade for 90 minutes and scored the opening goal for Zbrojovka Brno in their 2-1 defeat to Hradec Kralove in the Czech First League at the Mestsky Stadion Srbska on Saturday.
The up-and-coming forward, who has been tipped to replace Gift Orban at Gent, gave his side the lead in the 19th minute, but his effort was not enough as the Gunmakers conceded two goals after his opener.
The 22-year-old has now registered three goals and five in the Czech league this season.
Belgium
Orban, Boniface (Gent, Union St.Gilloise)
Forward Victor Boniface provided the assist for Union St. Gilloise’s goal, which helped his side earn a vital 1-1 away draw at Gent at the Ghelamco Arena in the Belgium Pro League on Saturday.
The 22-year-old has been in fine form for his Belgian side this season and has registered seven goals with six assists in 29 league appearances for Union 60 in the 2022/23 season.
Gift Orban got a starting role for KAA Gent but could not get a goal to his name and came off for Nurio in the 83rd minute.
The 20-year-old, who signed for the Belgium side in January from Norwegian club Stabaek, has scored nine goals and registered two assists in eight league appearances for Gent.
Italy
Dessers, Okereke (Cremonese)
Cyriel Dessers was in action and gave the assist for the second goal in Cremonese’s 3-2 win against Sampdoria in a Serie A fixture at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris.
The 28-year-old, who was in action for the entire duration, has managed five goals, two assists in 23 league matches for the Serie A strugglers.
The former Genk striker has not scored in four league matches as Cremonese sit 19th on the Serie A table.
Countryman David Okereke was not in the squad due to a thigh injury.
Ehizibue, Success, Udogie (Udinese)
Kingsley Ehizibue, Destiny Udogie and Isaac Success were in action as Udinese played a 2-2 against Monza in a Serie A match played at the Dacia Arena — Stadio Friuli on Saturday.
Udogie played the entire duration, while Ehizibue had 68 minutes of action. Success, who is yet to register a league goal since the start of the season, played for 83 minutes.
Lookman,Okoli (Atalanta)
Ademola Lookman was in the starting line-up but could not find the back of the net as Atalanta suffered a 2-0 home defeat to Bologna in a Serie A fixture at the Gewiss Stadium on Saturday.
The 25-year-old winger was substituted in the 52nd minute for Duvan Zapata and has now scored 13 goals in 28 league matches this season.
