)
EuroEagles Review is a weekly series evaluating the performances of Nigerian footballers in Europe.
Perhaps seeing is believing, Jose
Much was made about Raphael Onyedika’s non-involvement with Nigeria in the double-header against Guinea-Bissau last month, despite a broadly impressive season at Club Brugge.
Nigeria’s midfield issues have sparked conversation over recent years, with observers concerned with the seeming aversion to the middle of the park.
Thus, it was surprising that Jose Peseiro was at Brugge’s weekend encounter at Westerlo, perhaps to examine the defensive midfielder.
While the goalless outcome was not what FCB wanted, Onyedika was one of the defending champions’ best performers.
The away side appeared to be in a 4-2-3-1 on paper, but the positions taken up, in reality, showed that the Super Eagle was positioned in front of the defence for most of the encounter, flanked by Hans Vanaken and Mats Rits.
)
Even though Rik De Mil’s team could not make their superiority count, the Super Eagle’s showing with possession was admirable, evidenced by his inclination to dribble past opponents — the Nigeria international completed three of four attempts.
The midfield man seldom came out second-best in his tussles, winning seven of 10 ground duels, nor did he shy away from getting in the way of shots when Westerlo did manage to sustain a bit of pressure, blocking two of the home side’s seven attempts.
Surely even Peseiro will be unable to justify leaving out Onyedika going forward.
)
18:45 - 23.03.2023
SUPER EAGLES Midfield conundrum: What is Jose Peseiro thinking?
Nigeria’s continued disregard for, perhaps, its most important position could eventually become a hindrance.
Lady Luck has no love for Chukwueze
You knew Samuel Chukwueze would pay for tearing Real Madrid to shreds in the previous round at the Santiago Bernabeu, where he netted twice in Villarreal’s 3-2 win.
The Yellow Submarine welcomed Real Valladolid to Estadio de la Ceramica over the weekend, looking to claim back-to-back wins in LaLiga.
However, neither club nor player had the required rub of the green to defeat the relegation-threatened side who claimed a 2-1 win.
Chukwueze thought he had levelled for Quique Setien’s side after Selim Amallah put the visitors 1-0 up after two minutes, only for the VAR to rule that Jose Luis Morales was offside in the build-up to the strike.
And the attacker’s eventful afternoon was far from over. The Nigeria international somehow contrived to miss an open goal after rounding Valladolid goalkeeper Jordi Masip in the 55th minute and struck the post with 20 minutes remaining.
Perhaps there was some good fortune as the wide attacker was not penalised for a foul on Jawad El Yamiq just before Etienne Capoue halved the deficit in minute 74.
The upshot of Villarreal’s loss sees them fail to capitalise on fourth-placed side Real Sociedad losing their second match in three at Athletic Club, thus slipping to sixth after Real Betis defeated Espanyol.
)
15:16 - 15.04.2023
Chukwueze denied by VAR as Villarreal lose at home to Valladolid
Super Eagles forward Samuel Chukwueze was unable to help Villarreal avoid a loss at home to Valladolid
Palace’s Lucky charm
Crystal Palace appears reborn under Roy Hodgson, who returned to the club to steer them away from a relegation scrap.
So far, so good for the Eagles, with three wins on the trot taking them 12th place, only three adrift of struggling Chelsea and nine clear of Nottingham Forest in 18th.
Eberechi Eze was the match-winner on Saturday, scoring a brace in a 2-0 win over Southampton, to find the back of the net in successive Premier League games for the first time since that move from Queens Park Rangers three years ago.
Strikingly, Palace almost always wins whenever Eze scores. In approximately three seasons, the attacking midfielder has netted in 11 league games, and the South London side have won 10 of those matches.
The only stalemate came at Brentford this season, where a 96th-minute Vitaly Janelt leveller stole the points from the Eagles.
)
15:01 - 10.04.2023
EUROEAGLES REVIEW Chukwueze takes Madrid, Palace Boys seduce, Naija derby in Belgium, General Onyedika
EuroEagles Review is a weekly series evaluating the performances of Nigerian footballers in Europe.
Clutch Dessers?
At the risk of exaggerating the facts to drive home Cyriel Dessers’s upswing in recent weeks, Cremonese’s position in the Serie A standings must be considered.
The Cremona outfit are in a relegation tussle and are favourites to return to Serie B in the next month or so.
However, the last two rounds in Italy’s top flight offer hope. Dessers’s assist for Luka Lochoshvili with five minutes left made it 2-2 in the eventual 3-2 success against Sampdoria, and his goal — the striker’s sixth of the campaign — to win Friday’s game against Empoli was just what the doctor ordered.
Cremonese are still not out of the woods; they sit 19th in the table, four points adrift of 18th-placed Hellas Verona, seven behind Spezia, nine adrift of Lecce and 11 from Salernitana.
Survival is out of their hands, but one win in 15 among the three sides just above the relegation zone could make things interesting if Cremonese keeps winning.
Ndidi’s day to forget
Kelechi Iheanacho did his best to make things respectable for Leicester City at old side Manchester City but could not prevent a 3-1 loss at the Etihad Stadium.
Wilfred Ndidi had a first half to forget in Manchester, conceding a penalty after a VAR review and losing a 50-50 in the middle of the park to Kevin De Bruyne before Erling Haaland’s second and City’s third.
The defensive midfielder was bypassed several times in midfield and lost every ground duel he contested (three) before his 87th-minute withdrawal.
)
21:49 - 15.04.2023
PREMIER LEAGUE Manchester City survive Leicester's late attacks to close in on Arsenal
City now move within three points of the Gunners, who are in action on Sunday.
Leicester are second-bottom after 31 games, and while their position is not precarious, four losses on the trot is a portend with the season in its final weeks.
Finally, it would be remiss to ignore Babajide David Akintola, who netted a brace in Adana Demirspor’s 5-0 annihilation of Kasimpasa, to score for the first time since late January.
Fourth-placed Adana are only five points adrift of Besiktas, the side occupying the third and final European spot in the Turkish Super Lig.
)
16:08 - 15.04.2023
Babajide David grabs brace in Adana's five-goal rout
Adana Demirspor ran riot against Kasimpasa, and they were inspired by Nigeria's Babajide David.
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)