CSKA Moscow of Russia winger, Chidera Ejuke and Watford of England striker, Isaac Success on Saturday led a long array of less-fancied Nigerian players on a rush for goals, as Fred Onyedinma and Michael Olise also made their mark in England’s lower division.
While Ejuke popped up again in Russia and Success finally netted after overcome a long line of injuries, Olamipo Odubeko and Dillon Hoogewerf also hit target in England’s youth league, as Nigerian-born youngsters and largely overlooked older ones stole he headlines.
Megasportsaena.com reports that the bigger impact among the lot came in England, where Success, Reading’s Olise and Wycombe Wanderers’ Onyedinma, got on the scoresheet on the final day of the season in the lower cadre English Championship.
Success ended a goal drought that lasted for 833 days when he wrapped up scoring for Watford in a 2-0 win against visiting Swansea City at Vicarage Road, as the former Granada of Spain ace powered a half-volley into the top corner to double the advantage three minutes from time.
Olise also finished the season with seven goals and 12 assists from 44 games, as the former Chelsea youth team player slammed into the net from 12 yards after the Royals were awarded a penalty in the 18th minute of their 2-2 draw with Huddersfield Town at the Madejski Stadium.
On 26 minutes, Yakou Meite headed home a cross from Olise, who is already a French youth international, to make it 2-1 but his effort could not lead Reading to victory, as they were denied the chance of getting all three points by a late equaliser.
Sadly, Onyedinma’s goal could not save Wycombe Wanderers from bowing out of the English Championship, despite thrashing Middlesbrough 3-0 at Riverside Stadium, where the Lagos-born winger got them on their way in the 14th minute when he poked past the goalkeeper after a neat pass from Tafazolli.
In England’s youth cadre, a goal by Odubeko could not make any difference for West Ham United against Arsenal, who secured safety in the English Premier League 2 on the final day of the season, despite being held to a draw at Rush Green Stadium, Romford, Greater London.
Odubeko was one of six Nigerian-born players in the game, as Miguel Azeez, Folarin Balogun and Tolaji Bola went the distance for Arsenal, while Nathan Butler-Oyedeji and goalkeeper Ovie Ejeheri started on the bench.
Following a goalless first half, Odubeko’s reactive header from close range put West Ham 1-0 up in the 56th minute, thereby taking his haul to 14 goals from same number of games for West Ham’s youth teams, including ten strikes in Premier League 2.
Nikolaj Moller converted a penalty won by Balogun with 15 minutes remaining, Ekwah restored West Ham’s lead on 87 minutes and Kido Taylor-Hart’s injury time goal ensured the points were shared in the derby.
Also in England, Hoogewerf made his mark for Manchester United’s youngsters, as he netted his second hat-trick of the campaign in an U18 English Premier League clash against Middlesbrough on Saturday.
The Netherlands youth international was involved heavily during United’s 8-1 victory at Trafford Training Centre as he provided an assist for The Red Devils’ last goal and thereby got to double figures, by netting 12 and setting up 11 others in 19 appearances.
The Dutch-Nigerian made it 2-0 when he headed in a cross from the right from Charlie Wellens in the 33rd minute and netted his second of the game six minutes later when he picked his spot and slotted home from close range.
Two minutes after the restart, it became 5-0 as Hoogewerf fired into the bottom corner to complete his hat-trick, capping another remarkable outing for the 18-year-old rising star, who has been on a fabulous run since April 17, scoring in each of his last five games and tallied three assists during that period.
In Spain’s lower division, Sadiq Umar again played a big role for UD Almeria, as he helped them to a 1-0 away to Tenerife by providing an assist on the goal that gave them victory and further boost their promotion hopes.
The 24-year-old striker, who has 18 goals and four assists in 33 matches, put Largie Ramanazi through with the final pass and the win took Almeria within five points of Real Mallorca, who occupy the second automatic promotion spot with four matches to end the regular season..
In Russia, Ejuke was back on the scoresheet as CSKA Moscow came from behind to defeat FC Krasnodar 3-1 at the VEB Arena on Saturday evening.
Ejuke had an impressive record last season at SC Heerenveen, contributing to 16 goals in 29 matches but the tricky winger has managed six goal involvements in 32 appearances across all competitions for CSKA.
However, before Saturday’s game, Ejuke had not scored in three Russian Premier League games before the visit of Krasnodar, but he changed the story after the visitors opened scoring through Viktor Claesson in the 26th minute but the lead lasted only six minutes, as the Nigerian lad restored parity for The Army Men.
He slotted into the bottom corner of the net after receiving a defence-splitting pass from Ivan Oblyakov in the area and Fedor Chalov made it 2-1 on 56 minutes before Mario Fernandes sealed the win midway through the second half.
In Holland, Sparta Rotterdam’s Nigerian-born lad, Emanuel Emegha, who is still also eligible for Holland and Togo, dedicated his first professional goal to his deceased teammate, Ousmane Kone.
This came after Emegha helped Sparta Rotterdam beat visiting Vitesse Arnhem 3-0 on Friday, with the former Netherlands under-15 international scoring the final goal of the game in the 80th minute, seven minutes after getting off the bench.
Before finally netting on Saturday, Emegha had played 15 professional games and logged 346 minutes, such that it was a shade of several emotions, as he brought out a shirt with a photo of himself and Kone, who recently passed away at the age of 12.
Emegha, who was born in The Hague to a Togolese father and Nigerian mother, told De Telegraaf: “This one is for my deceased teammate. In 2016 he drowned during a team outing.
“I have never forgotten that and I will never forget that. I printed that shirt last week and said to myself: I will score in the next game. It was very special that I also succeeded.”
