Izuchukwu OkosiOver the weekend and on Monday evening, Nigeria players were in action for their football clubs across Europe.
Prime Business Africa’s Senior Correspondent Izuchukwu Okosi here presents the round up of Nigerians that featured in matches for their teams in league actions.
ENGLAND
Alex Iwobi (Everton), Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest), Joe Aribo (Southampton), Wilfred Ndidi & Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City)
In one of the 3pm kick off games, Super Eagles midfielder Alex Iwobi played for all 90 minutes on Saturday for Everton in their 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest at Goodison Park.
The match was the 100th in the colours of the Toffees for Iwobi.
Another Super Eagles star, Taiwo Awoniyi played for 61 minutes before he subbed off.
Southampton new boy Joe Aribo has become one of the mainstays of Southampton and was thrust in the attacking midfield spot as the Saints rallied from a goal down to defeat Leicester City 2-1.
Wilfred Ndidi was in action for 90 minutes for Leicester while Kelechi Iheanacho played the last 24 minutes as he came off the bench for the Foxes at the King Power Stadium.
GERMANY
Kelvin Akpoguma (Hoffenheim), Chidera Ejuke (Hertha Berlin)
Out of favour Super Eagles defender Kevin Akpoguma played for 90 minutes for his Bundesliga side Hoffenheim as they defeated Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 away on Saturday.
The game was Akpoguma’s third consecutive appearance for Hoffenheim this season.
Forward Chidera Ejuke played for 72 minutes as Hertha Berlin were beaten 1-0 away at Borussia Monchengladbach on Saturday.
ITALY
Ola Aina (Torino), Victor Osimhen (Napoli), Cyreil Dessers, David Okereke (Cremonese)
Ola Aina played throughout the entirety of the game between his Serie A side Torino and SS Lazio which ended in 0-0 draw on Saturday evening.
Victor Osimhen scored his second Serie A goal of the 2022/2023 season in the 46th minute as Napoli romped to a 4-0 win over promoted Monza.
The Nigerian duo of Cyreil Dessers and David Okereke were both in action for promoted Cremonese in their 1-0 defeat to AS Roma at the latter’s Stadio Olimpico on Monday night.
SPAIN
Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal), Sadiq Umar (UD Almeria)
Super Eagles winger Samuel Chukwueze came off the substitute bench in place of Arsenal target, Yeremy Pino in the 75th minute of action as the Yellow Submarine beat hosts Atletico Madrid.
UD Almeria striker Sadiq Umar scored his first La Liga goal on Monday night against home team Elche at the Estadio Manuel Martinez Valeri in a 1-1 draw.
NETHERLANDS
Calvin Bassey (Ajax)
Super Eagles defender Calvin Bassey produced good defensive displays in his Eredivisie debut as Ajax pipped Sparta Rotterdam 1-0 on Sunday. The defender was in action for 90 minutes.
FRANCE
Terem Moffi, Innocent Bonke (Lorient)
Super Eagles striker Terem Moffi played for 68 minutes before he was substituted off in Lorient’s 2-2 draw at Toulouse in the French Ligue 1.
Moffi however missed a penalty before he went off. Compatriot Innocent Bonke was an unused substitute for Lorient.
CZECH REPUBLIC
Moses Usor, Peter Olayinka (Slavia Prague)
Moses Usor grabbed a brace as he came off the bench in Slavia Prague’s 7-0 win over FK Pardubice on Sunday evening.
Teammate and Super Eagles striker Peter Olayinka was benched for the entire duration of the game.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
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