Another week for Super Eagles players to impress their national team coach, Gernot Rohr, but it didn’t go as planned for a handful of them. Here is how they performed at their respective clubs over the weekend.
Let’s start with veteran striker, Bartholomew Ogbeche, who can’t stop scoring at the moment. Ogbeche is on fire, as he scored his seventh goal of the season but it wasn’t enough for his Eredivisie side, Willem II, who were held to a 1-1 draw at home by NAC Breda.
It was the 33-year-old’s seventh goal in six games, of which he has only started in four.
Still in the Eredivisie, Tyronne Ebuehi returned to action for ADO Den Haag, after missing last weekend due to suspension.
The 21-year-old was on from start to finish as ADO defeated FC Twente 3-2 away.
In the French Ligue 1, on loan Porto defender, Chidozie Awaziem, was not listed in FC Nantes’ 2-1 defeat at home to OGC Nice.
Elsewhere in France, with calls for his return rife, former Super Eagles captain, Vincent Enyeama, played for the first time in seven months, as he returned from injury.
He featured for Lille’s second team, who were beaten 3-1 by Croix Football IC, with the veteran goalkeeper saving a penalty.
Alhassan Ibrahim was on for 73 minutes as his Austrian side, Austria Wien were defeated 1-0 at Altach, while Bryan Idowu also ended up on the losing side with his Russian side, Amkar Perm, who were comfortable 3-1 losers at home to FC Krasnodar.
Idowu’s compatriot at the club, Fegor Ogude, also started his fifth game of the season for Amkar, with both players on from start to finish.
In Cyprus, right back, Shehu Abdullahi lasted the 90 as champions, Anorthosis saw off Alki Oroklinis 2-1 at home.
And for Israel based duo of defensive midfielder, John Ogu and Anthony Nwakaeme, it was another good weekend for Hapoel Beer Sheva, as they defeated Bnei Sakhim 3-1.
Belgium
Simon Moses, Gent
Simon started his 15th game of the season for Gent in their 2-1 win over Kortrijk, but failed to add to his five goals scored so far despite playing for 85minutes.
Of his compatriots at the club, Simon Kalu lasted just over an hour, while Anderson Esiti was expectedly not listed after he was sent off last week.
Henry Onyekuru, Anderlecht
Onyekuru was on target again, but his goal couldn’t save Anderlecht this time, as they were beaten 3-1 at home by Sporting Charleroi.
It was Onyekuru’s ninth goal of the season, in 13 starts for the Belgian champions.
Uche Agbo, Standard Liege
Uche Agbo’s Liege lost 3-1 at Waasland-Beveren with the defensive midfielder playing the entire duration of that game.
Turkey
William Troost-Ekong, Mikel Agu, Bursaspor
Troost-Ekong’s return to fitness ended in defeat, as Bursaspor recent brilliant form came to a halt following a 1-0 home loss to Fenerbahce.
The former Tottenham trainee played in a midfield role, posting an average performance, while his national and club team mate, Mikel Agu, was not listed as he’s still out with an injury.
Kenneth Omeruo, Kasimpasa and Ogenyi Onazi, Trabzonspor
It was brothers at war in the Recep Tayyip Erdogan Stadi, as Omeruo’s Kasimpasa hosted Onazi’s Trabzonspor.
Both players started and ended the game, but it was Onazi who had the last laugh, as Trabzonspor hammered Omeruo and Kasimpasa 3-0. Onazi was however yellow carded in the 74th minute.
Germany
Leon Balogun, Mainz 05
Balogun returned to Mainz’s starting XI after recovering from a broken hand injury, which kept him out of the side for over three weeks.
Balogun had an above average performance for Mainz, who held their host RB Leipzig to a 2-2 draw.
Spain
Odinaka Uzoho, Deportivo la Coruna
Young goalkeeper, Uzoho played no part as Deportivo’s team B picked a 3-2 win away at Cerceda, in the Spanish second division, Segunda B.
England
Ola Aina, Hull City
In the English championship, Ola Aina and Hull City finally won a game, after they came from behind to beat Brentford 3-2 at the KComm stadium.
Aina was handed an attacking role by new manager, Nigel Adkins, and the Chelsea defender gave a very good account of himself, rated as one of the best players on the pitch.
Wilfred Ndidi, Kelechi Iheanacho and Ahmed Musa, Leicester City
While his national team mates, Iheanacho and Musa struggle for game time, Ndidi’s profile at Leicester continues to soar even higher.
The defensive midfielder was the star, posting a man of the match performance as the Foxes earned a hard-fought 3-2 win at Newcastle United.
Though game today but we came out with 3 points.Cogracts to my brother @Ndidi25 Wilfred onyi’nye’chukwu on been named The Man Of Match
— Kelechi Iheanacho (@67Kelechi) December 9, 2017pic.twitter.com/q6yBDNiZ1A
Ndidi didn’t just break up play for his side, but also assisted two of the goals, including the excellent equaliser by Algerian playmaker, Riyad Mahrez in the second quarter of that game.
It was Ndidi’s 16th game of the season, and with four assists to his name.
Alex Iwobi, Arsenal
Nigeria’s hero against Zambia, Alex Iwobi, missed Arsenal’s 1-0 loss to Southampton at Saint Mary’s. It was the second game the 21-year-old was missing in a matter of days, after the loss to Bate Borisov in midweek in the Europa League.
Victor Moses, Chelsea
Wingback, Moses was a second half substitute but was unable to stop Chelsea from a fourth loss of the season in the PL.
The African player of the year contender came on for Marcos Alonso in the 55th minute, with the Blues already 1-0 down, courtesy of Marko Arnautovic’s sixth minute goal for West Ham United.
