Midweek headlines about Nigerian players across Europe were highlighted by another goal from Crotone of Italy striker, Simeon Tochukwu Nwankwo (Simy) and another disciplinary issue for FC Cologne of German striker, Emmanuel Dennis Bonaventure, megasportsarena.com reports.
While Bonaventure was again in the news for the wrong reason at his former based in Belgium, just as he had been during his time with Club Brugge late last year, good news came out of The Land of The Azzurri, as ‘Simy’ got his side’s consolation goal in a 5-1 loss to Atalanta at Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo.
The former Gil Vicente of Portugal towering hitman initially equalised in the 23rd minute with a loop over the goalkeeper, thereby taking his tally this season in the Italian top-flight to eight goals in 25 matches, but Crotone remain bottom of the table.
FC Nantes of France winger, Moses Simon was also on song in the first midweek of March, as he netted his fourth goal of the season in a 2-1 loss to Reims at Stade de la Beaujoire, Louis Fonteneau.
Simon headed home at far post in the 14th minute, after an excellent delivery from Pedro Chirivella but goals from Konan and Yunis Abdelhamid saw The Canaries lose for the 12th time this season.
This came at a point startling news emerged out of Belgium that Bonaventure had been handed a three-month driving ban for over speeding, with the judgment still going ahead despite his move on loan to Cologne in the German Bundesliga in January.
The disciplinary measures, though, came in respect to how the 23-year-old forward was flagged down by police on September 21, 2019 while going at a speed of no less than 134 kilometres per hour, where only 90 kiolmetres was allowed.
This is also despite a stern declaration by Bonaventure that he had not been behind the wheels of his car at the time of the offence and, though his lawyer pleaded for an adjournment in order to confirm who actually drove the Mercedes car at that moment, the judge overruled the plea.
Consequently, Bonaventure, who had also been convicted for a hit-and-run incident in 2017 and was in 2019 acquitted after being involved in an accident, has now been hit with a three-month driving ban and a fine of 704 Euros.
A report by Het Nieuwsblad added that Bonaventure, who was fined heavily by Brugge last year after getting into a spat with teammates and club officials over a matter of sitting arrangements in conformity with COVID-19 regulations, will also have to take written and practical driving tests.
