Standing tall: Onuachu hits brace in Trabzonspor win
Boniface scores 13th Bundesliga goal, Akpom bags assist
Trabzonspor striker, Paul Onuachu, stood out among Nigerian players abroad during the weekend with a brace in their win over Istanbulspor, ABIODUN ADEWALE reports
SUNDAY
TURKEY
PAUL ONUACHU (TRABZON SPOR)
Onuachu scored a quick brace in the sixth and seventh minutes to help Trabzonspor win 3-0 over Istanbulspor AS on Sunday, securing their place in the Europa League next season. The lanky attacker has 14 goals and four assists this season. His chances of scoring another hat-trick were cut short when he was substituted in the 64th minute.
Bright OSAYI-SAMUEL (Fenerbahçe)
Osayi-Samuel was dropped to the bench for the first time in seven matches as Fenerbahçe defeated Kayserispor 2-0 in the Turkish Super Lig. The defender has three goals and one assist as his club continues to chase Galatasaray for the crown, with six points separating them with two games remaining.
OLAWOYIN, AKINTOLA (RIZEPORA)
Ibrahim Olawoyin and David Akintola were involved but they could not prevent their hopes of playing in the Europa Conference League from crashing further as they lost 2-1 against Pendikspor. Despite scoring first through Jonjo Shelvey, Rizespor conceded two second half goals which left them hanging eighth in the table and nine points behind Basaksehir, the holders of the spot.
FISAYO DELE-BASHIRU(HATAYASPOR)
Dele-Bashiru played another 90 minutes for Hatayaspor, who defeated Ankaragucu 2-1 to keep their relegation hopes alive. With two games remaining, they are 18th in the table with 37 points, one point from safety.
GERMANY
Boniface, Tella (Leverkusen).
Boniface scored his 13th league goal of the season from the penalty spot as German champions Bayer Leverkusen defeated 10-man Bochum to extend their unbeaten streak to 50 games in all competitions.
ENGLAND
Joe Aribo (Southampton).
Aribo played 90 minutes as Southampton began their quest to return to the Premier League with a goalless draw against West Brom in the first leg of their playoff semi-final. The Saints will host the second leg at the St. Mary’s next week.
SEMI AJAYI (Southampton)
Ajayi also came on as a late substitute for West Brom during their goalless draw with Southampton. They hope to change the tide in the second leg next week.
THE NETHERLANDS
CHUBA AKPOM (AJAX).
Akpom has now contributed to Ajax's goals in three straight games, with another assist in the 3-0 victory over Almere City. The former Middlesbrough player put up the second goal for Ajax hat-trick hero Steven Bergwijn. The 28-year-old concluded the season with 11 goals and three assists as Ajax were relegated to the Europa League playoffs.
BELGIUM
Ejuke, Yusuf. Chidera Ejuke and Alhassan Yusuf, who were benched in the Belgian Cup final, have returned to the starting lineup for ANTWERP in their league title playoff game against Cercle Brugge KSV. The result however didn’t matter as Antwerp will remain bottom of the championship playoffs.
FRANCE
ROFIAT IMURAN (REIMS)
Imuran, a Super Falcons player, came on as a second-half substitute as her Reims club lost 6-0 to Lyon in the semi-finals of the French women's premier league playoffs. Reims will now face Chiamaka Nnadozie's Paris FC in the third-place match on Thursday, with PSG and Lyon facing off in the final on Friday.
South Africa
Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United)
Nwabali, the Super Eagles' goalkeeper, conceded a goal on Sunday when Chippa United drew 1-1 with Golden Arrows in a South African league mid-table clash. The goalie has 10 clean sheets in the league this season.
SPAIN
Monday, Babajide (Tenerife).
In a mid-table fight in the Spanish women's first league, Nigerian duo Gift Monday and Rinsola Babajide, who both began the game, were unable to prevent Tenerife from losing 1-0 at home to Real Sociedad. Monday has five goals and one assist in 25 games, while Babajide has three and seven goals in 27 games.
TONI PAYNE (SEVILLA).
On Sunday, Sevilla's midfielder Payne faced Huelva at home. In 26 games, she has six goals and four assists as Sevilla sits in sixth place.
USA
ASISAT OSHOALA (BAY FC)
After sitting out their last game, Oshoala returned to the starting lineup for Bay FC against Orlando Pride but it was another dry day in office for the forward as they were beaten 1-0. It was their seventh defeat in nine matches as they sit 12th in the 14-team league with just six points. Oshoala has scored just two goals in eight appearances for the club.
NICOLE PAYNE (PORTLAND THORNS)
Payne made her fourth NWSL appearance for Portland Thorns as they beat Seattle Reign 4-0. She was taken off in the 85th minute and she is yet to register any goal in the league this season.
SATURDAY
ENGLAND
OSHO, ONYEDINMA (LUTON)
Luton Town's defenders, Gabriel Osho and Fred Onyedinma, played in the 3-1 Premier League loss to West Ham United FC, although the club is still fighting to avoid relegation with only one game remaining. They are 18th in the table, just three points behind Nottingham Forest. They need to win their final game against Fulham next Sunday, and Forest must lose to demoted Burnley by as many as 12 goals to ensure their safety.
AWONIYI, AINA. (NOTTINGHAM FOREST)
It was a thriller at the City Ground on Saturday evening, but two late goals condemned Aina, who put in a good shift, and Awoniyi, who came on as a second half replacement, to a 3-2 defeat Chelsea. The defeat further puts Forest in danger of relegation but they still have their hopes alive as their fate is tied with Luton – a team they lead by three points – as they play already relegated Burnley next week.
IWOBI, BASSEY (FULHAM)
Arsenal needed Iwobi and several of their former players to help turn the tide against Manchester City at Craven Cottage, but the Nigerian midfielder could do nothing to boost the Gunners' title hopes as Fulham lost 4-0 to the champions. Bassey was also part of the defence that allowed four in.
FRANCE
CHIMAKA NNADOZIE (PARIS FC)
Nnadozie, the Super Falcons goalkeeper, shone out for Paris FC Feminines in their 2-2 draw with PSG, but her penalty heroics were ineffective in their 5-4 loss, ruining their D1Arkema final ambitions.
AUSTRIA
Samson Tijani (Wolfsberger AC)
Tijani, a former Golden Eaglets captain, scored for Wolfsberger AC in their spectacular 4-0 Bundesliga win over Austria Vienna.
BELGIUM
TOLU AROKODARE (Genk)
Arokodare scored his 12th league goal for KRC Genk, but the club lost 2-1 away to Anderlecht in the Belgian Jupiler League title playoffs. The result left them in fourth place, 12 points behind leaders Club Brugge.
GREECE
Kehinde Fatai (Larissa)
Kehinde Fatai scored his sixth goal in nine Super League 2 games to lead Larissa to a 2-1 away victory over Levadiakos.
Italy: Victor Osimhen (Napoli)
Osimhen was shut out as Napoli suffered a 2-0 Serie A home defeat to Bologna. The setback crushed the champion's chance of playing in Europe next season, just as the striker, who is nearing the conclusion of his stint at the Diego Maradona Stadium, has 15 goals and three assists the league.
SAMUEL CHUKWUEZE (AC MILAN)
SAMUEL CHUKWUEZE (AC MILAN)
Chukwueze played the first half of AC Milan's 5-1 victory over Cagliari at the San Siro. It was the player's second consecutive start in recent times, and he hasn't played much since joining the club in the summer.
PORTUGAL
CHRISTY UCHEIBE (BENFICA)
Ucheibe earned her fourth league title with SL Benfica Futebol Feminino, which defeated Racing Power FC 2-1 to retain the Liga BPI championship.
SCOTLAND
Cyriel Dessers (Rangers)
Dessers scored Rangers FC's consolation goal in the 2-1 Old Firm derby loss to Celtic, increasing their prospects of winning the league slimmer. The striker has 15 league goals this season.
SPAIN
Rasheedat Ajibade (Atletico)
Atlético De Madrid Féminas April Player of The Month Ajibade, impressed for the club, scoring and assisting in their thrilling 3-2 away win against Real Madrid CF in the Primera División Femenina. Ajibade’s goal was her 40th club career goal.
