Cercle Brugge of Belgium striker, Ike Ugbo was at the head of an array of Nigerian-born youngsters with goals on Saturday, as Viv Solomon-Otabor, Joel Ideho and Mipo Odubeko also all hit target in England.
Megasportsarena.com reports that Ugbo was on target twice to help Cercle Brugge secure a comprehensive 3-0 win over Oud-Heverlee Leuven in the Belgian First Division A on Saturday, April 10.
A minute before the interval, the lad on loan from Chelsea of England managed to squeeze through some defenders and pushed the ball under goalkeeper Rafael Romo for the opener after 15 minutes of play.
The 22-year-old former England youth international, who is enjoying his fifth loan spell from Chelsea, following previous stints at Roda JC Kerkrade of Holland as well as Barnsley, MK Dons and Scunthorpe United of England, finished a swift counter-attack to double the home team’s advantage.
Cercle Brugge have won four of their last six games in the division, with Ugbo scoring four goals, taking his total in all competitions to 16 goals in 33 matches and the club have the option to make the move permanent at the end of this season.
In England, Solomon-Otabor netted Wigan Athletic’s third goal in their impressive 4-1 victory away to Doncaster Rovers, as the former Super Eagles invitee slotted home in the 13th minute, after an assist by Joseph Dodoo to hand his side victory in the English Championship fixture.
In England’s youth sector, Joel Ideho has been in descent goals scoring form for Arsenal’s kids and continued his purple patch as the Gunners were beaten 3-1 by Fulham in the U18 English Premier League.
After failing to score in nine straight games, the former Ajax Amsterdam of Holland kid has now found the net three times in his last four outings, with sizzlers against Norwich City, Reading and in Saturday’s fixture versus Fulham, and he set up a goal in the 4-3 win away to The Royals.
The Gunners’ squad against The Cottagers also had goalkeeper Ovie Ejeheri, defenders Mazeed Ogungbo and Zach Awe, and Ideho in the starting lineup, while winger Michael Olakigbe started for the home team.
Ideho broke the deadlock on the hour, as he poked the ball in with his left foot after a pass from Giraud-Hutchinson, but goals from Dibley-Dias, Bowie and Biereth helped Fulham fight back to take all three points, with Olakigbe providing an assist for The Cottagers’ second goal.
The previous evening in England, Odubeko grabbed his first-ever hat-trick in the English Premier League 2, as he helped West Ham United storm back from behind to defeat his former club, Manchester United 3-2.
Two Nigerian-born teenagers were named in the respective starting squads for the game at Leigh Sports Village on Friday night, as Shola Shoretire was on for The Red Devils and Odubeko for The Hammers.
Odubeko, who spent three years at United’s academy, before making the switch to West Ham in October 2019 after turning down a scholarship offer at Old Trafford, shocked the Manchester side that were two goals up after 54 minutes with strikes from Mark Helm and Anthony Elanga.
Odubako pulled one back with a fine low shot from around 25 yards out in the 59th minute, and later on restored parity when he curled into the top corner with 18 minutes remaining, following which he netted the winning goal in the third minute of stoppage time.
It was a personally satisfactory outing for the 18-year-old Odubeko, who has 10 goals and two assists in nine appearances this campaign with The Hammers, whose coach, David Moyes has always spoken in good light about the youngster and keeps giving him opportunities in the main team.
