Top 5 Super Eagles Performers In Europe Last Weekend

Nigeria’s Super Eagles players were in action for their various clubs all across Europe last weekend.

We look at some of the Super Eagles’ top performers in Europe’s elite leagues while giving some honourable mentions.

5. Alex Iwobi (Everton 1-1 Nottingham Forest)

The 26-year-old former Arsenal player was in action for the entire 90 minutes in Everton’s draw against Nottingham Forest.

Iwobi has been a key element within the team since the season began and proved very useful on Saturday. He was all over the field, helping his team salvage a very important draw – Everton’s first point of the season.

Forest had gone ahead with a late Brennan Johnson goal before Demarai Gray rescued a point in the 88th minute. The equaliser was assisted by Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.

Following the equaliser, the home side pushed for a winner as Iwobi almost got one at the death. His stoppage-time shot hit the frame of the crossbar to the deafening noise of the crowd.

Iwobi is one of the most impressive Super Eagles in Europe and will look to put up more commendable performances.

Meanwhile, Nigerian striker Taiwo Awoniyi, who recently completed his move to the City Ground outfit also featured in the game. He played his part till the 61st minute when he was replaced.

New club record signing, Morgan Gibbs-White replaced the former Union Berlin forward.

4. Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto 3-0 Sporting Lisbon)

It was a battle of the ‘big boys’ in Portugal over the weekend. Porto was able to record an emphatic 3-0 win over rivals Sporting with the help of Super Eagle Zaidu Sanusi.

Sanusi was strong, tough and disciplined from the left back position throughout the encounter. He was a hard nut to crack for the likes of Pedro Gonçalves and Francisco Trincão.

22-year-old Brazilian Evanilson opened the scoring via a Mehdi Taremi assist before Mateus Uribe doubled the advantage from the spot. Another Brazilian Galeno scored another penalty late in the game to complete the rout.

Porto have now accrued nine maximum points after three games, having scored nine goals and conceded just one.

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3. Joe Aribo (Leicester 1-2 Southampton)

Aribo is another one of the Super Eagles in Europe who has started this season very well. Just like Awoniyi, he also made a switch to the English Premier League, joining Southampton this summer.

The 26-year-old was a commanding figure at the middle of the park in his side’s impressive away victory at Leicester. Aribo ensured his team came from a goal down to secure all three points at the King Power Stadium.

James Maddison had put Leicester ahead early in the second half before Ché Adams scored twice for Ralph Hasenhüttl’s team.

It was Southampton’s first win of the season having garnered four points from three games so far.

Aribo has generally been a monumental personality since he joined the Saints. On the second matchday, he helped Soton overturn a two-goal deficit against Leeds United. He scored the first of the two goals to inspire the comeback in front of the home supporters.

On Saturday, Wilfred Onyiye Ndidi and Kelechi Iheanacho were the two other Nigerians who featured in the match. While the former played full minutes for Leicester, the latter saw only 14 minutes of action.

2. Calvin Bassey (Sparta Rotterdam 0-1 Ajax)

Bassey, alongside Aribo, were the strongholds of Rangers defence and midfield departments respectively last term. We knew it was only going to be a matter of time before they were prized away from the Scottish club.

This is as a result of their eye-catching displays for the Europa League finalists.

Just like his compatriot, the 22-year-old defender also switched clubs this summer, teaming up with Dutch giants Ajax Amsterdam.

The player missed Ajax’s first two league games but showed he was more than a capable replacement for Lisandro Martinez. He kept Sparta Rotterdam’s attackers at bay, thereby earning his side a first clean sheet of the season.

The only goal of the match was scored by Netherlands forward Steven Bergwijn in the first half.

Ajax had beaten Fortuna Sittard 3-2 away from home before following that up with a 6-1 mauling of Groningen. Bassey’s team has nine maximum points from three games this campaign.

1. Victor Osimhen (Napoli 4-0 Monza)

This man needs no introduction. His performances for the Partenopei have been nothing short of outstanding.

Osimhen scored his second goal of the season for Napoli in a comprehensive 4-0 defeat of newcomers Monza. Right from the blast of the whistle till his substitution in the 84th minute, the striker was a constant threat.

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His physical strength and pace are his biggest assets and he utilised that to full effect on Sunday. The lanky Nigerian forward was played through on goal by Cameroon’s André-Frank Zambo Anguissa before beating the goalkeeper with a low but powerful shot.

The goal was Napoli’s second of the encounter. Georgian footballer Khvicha Kvaratskhelia had scored the opening goal in the 35th minute. He also scored the third goal of the game and his second of the night just after the hour mark.

South Korean defender Kim Min-Jae, who was signed to replace Senegalese Kalidou Koulibaly, grabbed the fourth goal in added time.

Osimhen has been one of the most consistent Super Eagles in Europe over the years. He had scored in Napoli’s 5-2 win over Hellas Verona on the opening weekend of the 2022/2023 Serie A season.

Honourable Mentions

Among the active Nigerian players abroad was Ademola Lookman, who played his second game for his new club Atalanta this past weekend. The Italian outfit played out a 1-1 draw with reigning Serie A champions AC Milan.

Lookman replaced Atalanta’s Ukrainian goalscorer Ruslan Malinovskyi in the 73rd minute. Algerian Ismaël Bennacer had equalised in the second half after Malinovskyi put the home side ahead.

The Nigerian international had scored on his debut in a 2-0 away win against Sampdoria on matchday one.

Similarly, Samuel Chukwueze was in action for Villarreal as they beat Atlético Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano.

The 23-year-old dazzling winger came on for the first goalscorer of the encounter, Yéremy Pino with 14 minutes remaining. The second goal was netted by 30-year-old experienced forward Gerard Moreno in the seventh minute of additional time.

Chukwueze was key in helping Villarreal see out the match with a clean sheet.