Super Eagles’ stars based in British countries proved their mettle on team levels this past weekend, as Joe Aribo and Leon Aderemi Balogun dazzled with Glasgow Rangers of Scotland, while Wilfred Onyinyen Ndidi was back in top form with Leicester City of England, megasportsarena.com reports.
Although Kelechi Iheanacho did not get any minute of action with Leicester, it was delight all the way for Ndidi, as his returned from injury coincided with another victory for The Foxes, while Alex Iwobi helped Everton get a shock win versus Chelsea, and Ola Aina was also in tremendous form for Fulham against Liverpool.
In Scotland, Balogun and Aribo helped Rangers continue their amazing start to the Scottish Premiership season with a 2-1 victory over Dundee United on Sunday and stretched The Gers’ unbeaten run to 26 matches across all competitions, with 17 of them in the domestic top-flight.
First-half goals from James Tavernier and Connor Goldson were enough for Steven Gerrard’s side to outclass their hosts at Tannadice Park, despite Liam Smith’s 33rd-minute equalizer, with Balogun on for the entire duration of play, but Aribo got off the bench to replace Ryan Kent in the 86th minute.
In England, Aina was in action for Fulham alongside Ademola Lookman and Tosin Adarabioyo, but their team were held to a 1-1 draw by Liverpool, as both sides battled toe-to-toe at Craven Cottage on Sunday evening.
Adarabioyo and Aina were part of a three-man defence for The Cottagers, while Lookman was in an attacking position, as Fulham stated brightly and deservedly took the lead through Bobby Reid in the 25th minute.
Lookman got the assist that helped the Jamaica international fire home past The Red’s Brazilian goalkeeper, Alisson Becker, who was in top form on his return from injury, but his defenders could not help him stop the Nigerian-born dazzler who is on loan from RB Leipzig of Germany, as he cut Liverpool’s defence open with a through ball.
Six minutes after the opener, Adarabioyo came close to scoring his first goal in the top-flight when he connected with Ivan Cavaleiro’s ball-in but was denied by Alisson’s great save, and Liverpool managed to salvage something from the game when an Aboubakar Kamara handball led to a penalty converted by Mohamed Salah in the 78th minute.
On the same evening in England, Leicester moved to within one point of the EPL’s top spot after a 3-0 victory against Brighton, as James Maddison’s deflected strike in the 27th minute sent Brendan Rodgers’ side on their way before Jamie Vardy scored his 12th goal of the season to double the advantage in the 41st.
Rodgers made six changes from the side that beat AEK Athens of Greece on Thursday in the UEFA Europa League, but just one from the side that won late on at Bramall Lane, with Ndidi in for Nampalys Mendy.
Neal Maupay’s looped shot after an hour provided some easy work for Schmeichel, while Ryan was called into more pressing action to deny Christian Fuchs’ powerful strike, but Ndidi’s driven effort cleared the crossbar late on and there were no further goals at King Power Stadium.
With Iheanacho spending all evening rooted to the bench, Leicester had a better hold of the game in the first half and move up to third, one point behind league leaders Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool in second, while Brighton stay 16th, two points clear of the relegation places.
Also in England, this time at the youth level, Arsenal academy product, Nathan Tella struck home four first half goals to help Southampton’s reserves thrash Leicester City 5-2 in a Premier League 2 game at Snows Stadium on Saturday.
The youngster, who wore his side’s captain’s armband, started alongside fellow-Nigerian-born teammate, David Agbontohoma, but Leicester’s goalkeeper, Chituru Odunze did not get off the bench; as Tella found the bottom corner to open the scoring with seven minutes gone, then made it 2-1 after winning and converting a penalty in the 21st minute.
The 21-year-old was at it again when he fired home into the bottom corner to complete his hat-trick on the half-hour mark and volleyed in his fourth goal in the 41st minute, before making way for Kgagelo Chauke with 18 minutes left on the clock.
It was a rousing manner to announce his arrival on the scene, as Tella had only been handed a first team squad number for the current season this past summer, yet he has now been named to The Saints’ matchday squads nine times, four of which were under the eyes of the club’s head coach, Ralph Hasenhüttl.
