Rotherham United of England attacker, Freddie Ladapo led the way for Nigerian-born players in the English Championship on Wednesday, as he struck a goal home in the lower division, but both Philip Chinedu Billing and John Mikel Obi were both on losing sides, megasportsaena.com reports.
On an evening Daryl Dike also scored for Barnsley, Mikel failed to make his pivotal efforts with Stoke City count and Billing’s role as a substitute made no difference, Ladapo’s last-gasp winner earned 10-man Rotherham a dramatic 2-1 win at fellow strugglers Sheffield Wednesday, ruining Darren Moore’s first game in charge.
Ladapo’s late strike also earned The Millers their first-ever league double over their South Yorkshire rivals in a fixture first contested in 1920, after Michael Smith headed the visitors into a first-half lead, only to be red carded midway through the second period for violent conduct.
The Owls’ new coach then looked to have secured a point in his first game since leaving Doncaster when another Nigerian-born player, Matt Olosunde put through his own goal, only for Ladapo to strike in the seventh minute of stoppage time.
Same evening in the English Championship, a timely clearance from Stoke City midfielder, John Mikel Obi was the highlight of his side’s outing at home, but they fell 2-1 from a stunner by Swansea City’s Andre Ayew.
While Mikel got a starting role for The Poters and made the best of his time on the pitch, Ayew scored a winner deep into injury time as Swansea closed in on the automatic promotion spots with a 2-1 victory at Stoke.
Smith’s stunning drive from range clattered off the upright with Woodman beaten just before the half-hour mark, while Stoke keeper Angus Gunn could only parry Manning’s fierce effort at the other end before Mikel hacked clear.
However, Mikel could not stop Ayew from making hay later on, as the Ghanaian striker slotted home his 11th of the season from the penalty spot after Kyle Naughton was controversially adjudged to have been tripped by Spurs loan man Jack Clarke in the 94th minute.
Elsewhere, Philip Chinedu Billing had a role in a goal for Bournemouth, on a night Nigel Pearson’s winning start as Bristol City’s new coach was spoilt by a Dan Bentley error and a late Cameron Carter-Vickers goal.
Billing got off The Cherries’ bench lae on, but he could not prevent a 2-1 home defeat for Bournemouth, despite the hosts taking a 38th-minute lead when Jack Hunt supplied a cross from the right for the impressive Tyreeq Bakinson to net with a looping header.
However, Bournemouth equalised in first-half stoppage time when City’s goalkeeper, Bentley went to catch a left-wing cross from Junior Stanislas on his goalline and fumbled the ball into the net for an embarrassing own goal.
Carter-Vickers’ 88th-minute goal had a touch of fortune about it as a far-post header from substitute Billing appeared to ricochet in off his back, taking Bournemouth back to the Championship’s top six.
Same evening in England’s lower division, Daryl Dike was also on song for Barnsley and his effort helped his side’s Championship play-off charge continue in a massive 3-1 victory over Queens Park Rangers, to make it six wins in a row.
Dike put the Tykes ahead by holding off Lee Wallace to head in Mowatt’s 23rd-minute corner at the near post, as the Nigerian-born USA striker notched his second goal since signing on loan from Orlando City at the start of last month.
Charlie Austin’s equaliser cancelled out Dike’s opener but Alex Mowatt’s free-kick and Carlton Morris’ second-half goal gave the visitors the points and Barnsley are now unbeaten in eight matches, while Rangers suffered back-to-back defeats.
