Eagles In Europe: Awoniyi celebrates maiden call-up in style 

Former Liverpool youngster Taiwo Awoniyi has received his first call-up to the Super Eagles and celebrated in typical fashion at the weekend. 

Eagles In Europe, EiE, in our usual way monitored Super Eagles stars in their respective European clubs with the former youth international the clear standout performer. 

Awoniyi has been handed his maiden call-up by Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr as a replacement for injured Terem Moffi, who had also replaced Everton’s playmaker Alex Iwobi due to injury. 

The 24-year-old, who played for 82 minutes, wasted no time to celebrate what would be a memorable day for him as he turned Saviour for his modest Bundesliga club Union Berlin during their League game at the Opel Arena on Sunday. 

Berlin came from behind to defeat their hosts Mainz 1-2 with the latest Super Eagles Eagles sensation on the end of both goals, which he scored in the space of four second half minutes. 

Both goals took his tally this season to five (5) in just seven (7) matches for Berlin, which means he has now been involved in ten (10) goals in 12 appearances this season for the club in all competitions. 

Meanwhile, in Italy, Victor Osimhen’s hot streak was halted on Sunday by Fiorentina, who caged the Super Eagles superstar for 84 minutes in the Serie A on Sunday. 

Prior to that game at the Artemio Franchi, Osimhen had scored 7 goals in his last five matches in all competitions but was caged despite an impressive all-round display for the Serie A leaders, who made it seven wins from seven courtesy of a 1-2 victory. 

It was Osimhen’s sixth game of the new Serie A campaign and he has four (4) goals to his name. 

Still in the Serie A, Ola Aina put on a decent display for Torino in their narrow defeat to former champions Juventus on Saturday. 

The Super Eagles utility defender was on the pitch for 65 minutes, created one chance, one key pass, won three tackles, made two interceptions and completed two of two attempted dribbles. 

Simy Nwankwo played for just over an hour as Salernitana narrowly defeated Genoa 1-0 at home. Simy is yet to get off the mark this season after scoring 20 goals last season.

Moses Simon failed to reach his normal standard the past weekend in the Ligue 1 and was taken off after 81 minutes as Nantes won 2-0 at home to Troyes. 

Simon failed to create a single chance or key pass on Saturday, he had 37 touches in the game and attempted 21 passes with 71% accuracy. 

Kelechi Iheanacho celebrated his birthday with a goal 

23-year-old Ike Ugbo was one of the scorers for Genk on Saturday in their 3-2 defeat at Eupen in the Jupiler. The former Chelsea man was preferred to his giant compatriot Paul Onuachu 

Ugbo justified his selection on the day but surely Genk in large parts missed their top scorer Onuachu who replaced Ugbo with 18 minutes left to play. 

Cyriel Dessers‘s heroics off the bench this season was tested on Saturday but failed to bear fruits this time as Feyenoord fell 2-1 at Vitesse. 

Dessers has scored most of his goals this season as a super sub and came on with 22 minutes left on the clock but was unable to salvage a point for his club. 

The 26-year-old Belgian born star is yet to start or complete a game this season for Feyenoord but has been involved in three goals (2 goals and 1 assist) in four outings this season for them in the Eredivisie. 

Leon Balogun and Joe Aribo played for Rangers in their 2-1 win over Hibernian in the Scottish Premier League. But only Balogun lasted the 90, while Aribo was on for 79 minutes with Super Eagles latest invitee Calvin Bassey an unused substitute. 

Chidera Ejuke impressed for CSKA Moscow but despite two chances created, two key passes, and four dribbles completed, they failed to score a goal and were held to a goalless affair at home by their visitors Krasnodar.

Chidozie Awaziem scored an unfortunate own goal to deny his Turkish club Alanyaspor a clean sheet and all three points in a 1-1 draw at Konyaspor on Saturday. 

Eagles in Europe rounds up with a trip to the very popular English Premier League, where senior man Kelechi Iheanacho celebrated his birthday with a goal. 

Senior man Kelz opened the scoring for the Foxes in the first half against Crystal Palace before his compatriot Michael Olise leveled up for the home side in the second as both teams shared the spoils following a 2-2 draw in the end.

Iheanacho’s goal was his first of the season in the PL, which was also the case for Olise, his first for his new club.

Watford lost 1-0 at Leeds United with two of their three Nigerian stars, Dennis Emmanuel and William Troost-Ekong on from start to finish. Oghenekaro Etebo was expectedly missing due to an injury.

It’s a wrap for this week, but who was your Super Eagle of the weekend?