Everton of England utility player, Alex Iwobi was in top form for The Toffees, but could not save them from defeat on Saturday, while Semi Ajayi helped West Bromwich Albion to a draw, and Emil Maduka Okoye kept his fifth clean sheet of the season for Sparta Rotterdam of Holland, megasportsarena.com reports.
Ola Aina, Ademola Lookman and Tosin Adarabioyo were also in action for Fulham against West Brom, while Babajide David got a goal in Turkey, on the same day former Queens Park Rangers of England winger, Bright Osayi-Samuel got his debut with Fenerbahçe in the Turkish Super Lig.
In England, Iwobi got his 17th English Premier League appearance for Everton, but he could not save them from defeat, as The Toffees lost 2-0 to visiting Newcastle United at Goodison Park on Saturday, even as the 24-year-old Super Eagles’ star put up a battling performance.
The former Arsenal of England playmaker, who missed the Merseyside outfit’s tie with Sheffield Wednesday in the fourth round of the English FA Cup on January 24, but returned with a cameo role against Leicester City on Wednesday, gave a good account of himself in the encounter but his efforts were not enough to help his side avoid a sixth defeat of the season.
Also in England on Saturday, Ajayi got his 20th start of the season in a three-man defence line, along with Kyle Bartley and Dara O’Shea, but they could only guide West Brom to a 2-2 draw with Fulham, who featured Aina, Lookman and Adarabioyo in Saturday’s EPL fixture.
Aina, Lookman and Adarabioyo also featured prominently for The Cottagers and made their contributions in search of victory for their side, for which Nigerian-born midfielder, Ross Bartley leveled proceedings in the 47th minute.
Ajayi, who featured for the duration of Saturday’s game, made five clearances, blocked two shots, achieved one interception and won four aerial contests, while Aina was on parade for 81 minutes, with 81 touches on the ball and three clearances before he was replaced by Kenny Tete.
Lookman, who was in action for the entire game, struck two shots, completed two dribbles and made five crosses while Adarabioyo had a 72 percent successful pass rate in the encounter that ended with shared points among the Nigerian stars on the pitch.
In Holland, Okoye continued his impressive display in goal for Sparta Rotterdam, as he kept a fifth clean sheet of the season and helped his side to a goalless draw at home with FC Twente, against which the Super Eagles’ new number one started in goal for the 13th time for the hosts, while Tyronne Ebuehi was in the visitors’ starting 11.
The day, though, belong to Okoye, as the former Fortuna Dusseldorf of Germany shot stopper was the more tested of both opposing goalkeepers in the first period and he had to be at alert twice to keep his side in the game going into the break.
The second half was almost a reflection of the first, as both teams tried to find the breakthrough but a string of good displays by the backlines on either side ensured the points where shared, even as Okoye helped Rotterdam pick their first Dutch Eredivisie League point in three outings.
Okoye had a game rating of 7.4 over ten and pulled off four big saves, while Ebuehi also played the entire duration, with a game rating of 7.5, two clearances and tackles, won seven duels and completed 80% of his passes.
In Turkey, Babajide David continued the impressive start to his career in the Turkish Super Lig by scoring and providing an assist for Hatayspor, who thrashed their hosts, Istanbul Basaksehir 5-1 on Saturday afternoon.
Since his loan move from FC Midtjylland of Denmark to Hatayspor last summer, the 25-year-old has established himself as a key player for last season’s Turkish TFF First League champions, with 17 starts out of a possible 18 matches.
Babajide gave his team a 2-0 lead against Istanbul Basaksehir on Saturday, when he converted a penalty kick in the 21st minute, thereby taking his haul to seven goals this season; being two each against Antalyaspor and Basaksehir as well as one each against Sivasspor, BB Erzurumspor and Besiktas.
Also in Turkey on Saturday, Bright Osayi-Samuel made his official debut for Fenerbahçe and was happy getting a 1-0 win over Rizespor in the Turkish Super Lig, but he only got off The Yellow Canaries’ bench in the 61st minute to replace Mame Thiam.
The Fenerbahçe number 21 was lively when he came on and proved to be a handful for the Rizespor defence, but his side had already scored what proved their winning goal in first half stoppage time before their new signing was introduced.
Brazilian defensive midfielder Fabrício Baiano received a second yellow card in the 86th minute, which led to his sending off for a crude tackle on the 23-year-old Osayi-Samuel, who is the sixth Nigerian player to feature for Fenerbahçe after Uche Okechukwu, Austin Okocha, Emmanuel Emenike, Joseph Yobo and Victor Moses.
