He may not be favoured in the Super Eagles but Paul Onuachu remains Nigeria’s hottest striker in Europe at the moment after another goal scoring and match-winning performance in Belgium.
Eagles in Europe, EiE, gives you what went down at the weekend as it concerns Super Eagles players and their respective clubs in Europe.
Speaking to #YourSportsMemo Publisher Calvin Emeka Onwuka earlier in October, Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr had this to say about Onuachu’s position in the national team.
“The team must not have to adapt its game to a player, the player must adapt to our style of play, and that is what Onuachu has to do,” Rohr said after he was asked if he thinks the team needs to play to the strength of the Genk man by Onwuka.
“He is very strong, this is a new opportunity for us but he has to adapt his own game on ours,” the Franco-German added.
Well, while Onuachu must adapt to the style of the Super Eagles, the 2.1m tall man has no such problems at his modest Belgian club where he is firing on all cylinders and over the weekend, another brace took his tally to 14 goals in 14 matches this season.
At home to Royal Antwerp in the Belgian Jupiler on Sunday, with his side trailing 0-1 to an earlier Koji Miyoshi goal, Onuachu fired a quick double in the space of four first half minutes to turn the game around for his club, Genk.
Two more goals including a fourth, which was scored by another Nigerian, this time Cyriel Dessers, who replaced his giant compatriot on 81 minutes, wrapped up a brilliant 4-2 win inspired by two Nigerians with Onuachu the obvious star.
Onuachu’s performance was a very complete one, while he was on the pitch, he completed the most dribbles (2), most tackles (2), most duels (10), and won four headed duels.
This is the second time Onuachu has scored a brace in two consecutive matches, taking his total for the season to four (4) braces.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in Europe, left back Zaidu Sanusi put in a solid display for Portuguese champions FC Porto as they survived a scare from Tondela to win 4-3 on Saturday.
Sanusi scored his first goal of the season when he opened the scoring in that game in the opening 4 minutes. He added 4 interceptions, 2 tackles won and 2 take-ons to his performance.
The Porto new defender has now scored two goals for his new club this season, one in the league and the other in the Champions League.
Leon Balogun was another Super Eagles defender who had a brilliant outing at the weekend after a solid display in Scotland helped him and Rangers to a clean sheet.
Rangers defeated Ross County 0-4 away with Balogun on from start to finish. His 3 interceptions, 100% tackles won, and 3 aerial duels won helped the Scottish side to a deserved clean with fellow Super Eagle, Joe Aribo on for just over an hour.
Chidera Ejuke grabbed his first assist of the season in Russia after his pass was expertly finished to earn CSKA Moscow a point in their 2-2 draw at home to Khimki in the Russian first division.
But it could have been more for the Super Eagles new star if his teammates wore their scoring boots, Ejuke was at his creative best as he laid on 6 scoring chances, 5 key passes and completed 100% of his passes.
In France, it was a day to forget for Nantes and Moses Simon after a humbling 0-4 defeat to Strasbourg. Simon was on the pitch for 82 minutes.
Oghenekaro Etebo had to make do with a cameo in Galatasaray’s 3-0 win over Hatayspor in Turkey, while Jamilu Collins’ Paderborn lost 0-2 to Nurnberg in the German second division with Collins on for just under an hour.
Tyronne Ebuehi was in his defensive element as FC Twente made it a memorable weekend for their fans with a 1-2 win over Ajax away from home.
Ebuehi featured for 82 minutes, winning 100% of his tackles, in addition to making 4 interceptions before he was substituted.
At the Sparta-Stadion Het Kasteel, he didn’t keep a clean sheet but Maduka Okoye made two wonderful saves to help Sparta Rotterdam earn their third win of the season after a 2-1 home win over FC Emmen on Friday.
It was his fifth game of the season for Sparta, and the 21-year-old has kept two clean sheets.
For the English Premier League contingent, only the duo of Wilfried Ndidi and Kelechi Iheanacho celebrated a win after a late win over Sheffield United thanks to Jamie Vardy on Sunday.
Ndidi came off the bench to feature for 21 minutes in what was his first league game since September due to an injury, while Iheanacho also came off the bench to play the same minutes.
Alex Iwobi and Everton remain without a win in their last six matches after a 1-1 draw at Turf Moor with Iwobi playing from start to finish in his new wing back role for the playmaker.
For Ola Aina, Manchester City were just too strong for him and Fulham while Semi Ajayi would love to forget the weekend after he suffered a devastating 5-1 humiliation at home to Crystal Palace on Sunday.
