Awoniyi, Ndidi, Onyekuru star in Europe
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It was an interesting weekend in terms of performances for Nigerian players with the likes of Taiwo Awoniyi, Wilfred Ndidi and Henry Onyekuru among the goals.
Supersport.com wraps up some of the best performances in Europe's top leagues and other parts of the world involving Nigerian stars.
Awoniyi nets winner for Nijmegen
Musa sure Leicester can ruffle Sevilla
ENGLAND
Kelechi Iheanacho played only the last six minutes of Manchester City's 5-0 routing of Crystal Palace on Saturday. He has been a peripheral figure at the Etihad Stadium this season, no
thanks to falling off the pecking order behind Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero.
Big forward Victor Anichebe played all 90 minutes for relegated Sunderland at the KCOM Stadium, where they stunned Hull City 2-0. The 29-year-old got booked in the 89th minute in a game in which the Black Cats tore the form book to shreds.
Ndidi continued his impressive performances for English champions Leicester City as they ran out 3-0 winners over Watford. The rangy midfielder opened the scoring for The Foxes with an instinctive finish before Algerian Riyad Mahrez and Marc Albrighton completed the rout. The other Nigerian at Leicester, Ahmed Musa, watched from the bench throughout.
There was no place for Alex Iwobi, who watched throughout on the bench as his Arsenal teammates defeated Manchester United 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium, breathing life into their bid for a top-four finish in the English Premier League.
SPAIN
With Granada relegated, Uche Agbo and his teammates had little chance against La Liga giants Real Madrid. Agbo started from the bench and only came on in the 18th minute to replace Aly Malle at the Estadio Nuevo Los Carmenes. At the time Granada were 2-0 down, and despite Agbo's introduction by Tony Adams they ended up losing 4-0.
GERMANY
Nigeria head coach Gernot Rohr will be pleased with the piece of news that one of his defenders, Leon Balogun played Mainz 05's Bundesliga game at Hamburger SV on Sunday. Leon and his teammates left the Volksparkstadion with a point and a clean sheet.
THE NETHERLANDS
Awoniyi was an impact substitute for NEC Nijmegen after he was sent on to replace Wojciech Golla on 83 minutes. It took the former Nigerian under-17 striker only five minutes to score against AZ Alkmaar at the Stadion De Goffeit.
At the Parkstad Limburg Stadion, Abduljeleel Ajagun was the hero for Roda JC Kerkrade as he fired in a late winner to give his team a 1-0 win over Willem II in a tight contest.
BELGIUM
In the playoff in Belgium for Europa League qualification, former Nigeria U20 star Saviour Godwin scored the second of KS Roeselare's three goals as they romped to a 3-0 victory over KV Kortrijk at the Guldensporenstadion on Saturday.
Former Enugu Rangers man Osaguona Ighodaro could not prevent KV Mechelen from a 3-1 defeat against Waasland-Beveren. Osaguona only played the last 17 minutes of the game by coming on for Laurens Paulussens while the score was 2-1.
Joseph Akpala only featured for a few seconds for KV Oostende as they won 4-3 against KAA Gent, who had Samuel Kalu for only the first 45 minutes while William Troost-Ekong played for the last six minutes after coming on for Stefan Mitrovic, when all seven goals in the game had been scored.
ITALY
Simeon Tochukwu Nwankwo, simply known as Simmy Nwankwo, featured for 63 minutes in Crotone's 1-0 success at Pescara. He was replaced by Aleksandr Tonev, who needed only eight minutes to score the winner.
PORTUGAL
Nigeria international Oghenekaro Etebo featured in all 90 minutes for Feirense in the Liga Sagres as they claimed a 1-0 win at Pacos de Ferreira through Icaro Silva's goal.
DENMARK
Paul Onuachu and Rilwan Hassan were on the scorers' chart for FC Midtjylland in their 4-2 win against Brondby IF at the MCH Arena on Sunday. Both players did not finish the game as Hassan was replaced on 63 minutes and Onuachu made way for Bruninho 10 minutes later.
NORWAY
Chidiebere Nwakali was on from start to finish for Sogndal as they played out a 0-0 draw at FK Haugesund. Former Giwa FC man Ibrahim Shuaibu played for 41 minutes in the second half as a substitute.
SWEDEN
Alhaji Gero was hero one minute and then the bad boy the next for Oestersunds FK as they edged Hammarby 2-1 at the Jaemtkraft Arena. The striker scored his team's equaliser on 72 minutes and 15 minutes later got the marching order for a second bookable offence.
AUSTRIA
Olarenwaju Kayode, who recently got his first senior cap for the Super Eagles, continued to underscore why he remains a hot property in the Austrian Bundesliga when he ensured that Austria Vienna earned a point at Altach. His goal cancelled out Nikola Dovedan's strike for Altach in the 1-1 draw.
FINLAND
Gbolahan Salami, Azubuike Egwuekwe and Reuben Gabriel played in the Veikkausliga game for KuPS, who eased themselves to a 4-1 win at PS Kemi. The Nigerian trio played all 90 minutes but did not get among the goals.
TURKEY
Raheem Lawal scored twice for Kayserispor in their 3-2 win at Trabzonspor, who had Super Eagles assistant captain Ogenyi Onazi from start to finish. Lawal was hooked off in stoppage time of the second half by his manager Mesut Bakkal, but the Nigerian had already made his contribution count by then.
Emem Eduok played for 85 minutes for Kasimpasa as they ran out 3-1 winners at Galatasary. Eduok was replaced by Cristian Guanca.
It was a romp for Caykur Rizespor's Nigerian contingent as they won 6-0 against Bursaspor. Bright Edomwonyi and Nosa Igiebor helped themselves to the fifth and sixth goals for Rizespor. Godfrey Oboabona also featured in the game.
SOUTH AFRICA
Super Eagles goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi was between the sticks for Chippa United in their home game in the PSL against Ajax Cape Town. The visiting team won with a 78th-minute goal by Thabo Mosadi to leave Akpeyi and his teammates pondering what could have been.
CHINA
Obafemi Martins was among the goals in the Chinese Super League game for Shanghai Shenhua on Friday as his goal in first-half stoppage time temporarily secured a 2-1 lead over big guns Guangzhou Evergrande. Goals from Jianbin Li and Hancao Yu rendered Martins' strike a mere consolation in a contest he played from start to finish.
Brown Ideye played all 90 minutes for Tianjin Teda as they drew 1-1 with Liaoning Hongyuun on Sunday.
EGYPT
Stanley Ohawuchi netted the winner for Zamalek SC as they edged Al Mokawloon Al Arab in front of their fans 2-1 on Sunday.
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