Lookman scores in back-to-back games
It was a weekend to remember for Nigerians playing abroad, as Wilfred Ndidi and Tolu Arokodare reached landmark career appearances and Ademola Lookman returned to scoring form for Atalanta. OLAMIDE ABE writes
SUNDAY
Turkey
Wilfred Ndidi (Beşiktaş)
Wilfred Ndidi clocked his 400th club appearance on Sunday, starting for Beşiktaş in a 2-0 away victory over Karagumruk in the Turkish Super Lig.
The Nigerian defensive midfielder partnered Orkun Kokcu in a double pivot, anchoring the midfield as the visitors secured a vital win that preserved their sixth-place position.
Ndidi’s club career began at Genk in 2015, where he made 83 appearances, scoring seven goals and assisting three. At Leicester City, he amassed 303 appearances, 18 goals, and 22 assists.
At Beşiktaş, he has featured in 14 games, netting once and providing one assist.
Across competitions, Ndidi’s appearances include 220 in the Premier League with seven goals and 14 assists, 46 in the Jupiler Pro League with one goal and one assist, and 32 in the Championship with four goals and five assists.
He has also played in FA Cup, EFL Cup, UEFA Europa League, Süper Lig, UEFA Conference League, and Champions League fixtures, contributing both defensively and offensively to his teams.
England
Tolu Arokodare (Wolves)
Arokodare marked his 200th league appearance on Sunday with a two-minute substitute cameo for Wolves in their Premier League defeat to Aston Villa.
While the appearance was brief, it symbolised a major milestone in his career across Belgium, France, Latvia, Germany, and England.
Arokodare’s club career spans Genk (113 appearances, 41 goals, 12 assists), Amiens SC (63 appearances, 21 goals, 4 assists), Valmiera (34 appearances, 22 goals, 4 assists), 1.FC Köln (11 appearances), and Wolves (11 appearances, 2 goals).
In the Villa game, his contribution included two touches, one possession lost, one clearance, and one aerial duel won.
Christantus Uche (Crystal Palace)
Uche made his fourth appearance for Palace, coming on as a late substitute in their 2-1 home defeat to Manchester United.
Replacing Yéremy Pino in the 78th minute, Uche completed 12 minutes with eight touches, 60% passing accuracy, three successful ground duels, and one foul won.
He lost possession four times and was dribbled past once, showing glimpses of defensive commitment in a limited window.
Italy
Ademola Lookman (Atalanta)
Lookman returned to form at a crucial stage for Atalanta, providing the clinical spark his club and the Super Eagles need to turn the season around. Following a dazzling midweek display against Eintracht Frankfurt, where he opened the scoring and supplied an assist, Lookman built on that momentum to find the net again in Bergamo.
Lookman’s decisive goal came from a 51st-minute corner, which Fiorentina failed to clear. The Nigerian forward reacted swiftly to rifle the loose ball into the net, marking Atalanta’s only goal from a set-piece this season while sealing a 2-0 home victory. The result also gave manager Raffaele Palladino his first Serie A win in charge of the club, ending Atalanta’s eight-game winless streak.
His goal secured back-to-back matches on the scoresheet for the first time since May, when he scored against Monza and AS Roma.
This strike marked his second Serie A goal of the season from eight appearances as he works to recapture the prolific form of last campaign, which saw him register a career-high 15 league goals and 20 in all competitions. Lookman was substituted in the 77th minute for Ghanaian teammate Kamaldeen Sulemana, having made a measurable impact across the pitch.
In the game, he had 39 touches, 86 per cent passing accuracy, three key passes, two big chances created, one successful dribble, and eight times losing possession.
His combination of technical skill, movement, and situational awareness demonstrated why he remains pivotal for Atalanta’s push for consistency and for Nigeria’s attacking options ahead of the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations this month.
Spain
Ejuke, Adams (Sevilla)
Sevilla endured a 2-0 defeat to Real Betis in the 144th official Seville derby at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán, marking their first loss to their city rivals at this venue since January 2018, with both Nigeria internationals, Akor Adams and Chidera Ejuke, starting for Sevilla, but were unable to influence the outcome as their side fell short against their in-form rivals.
Adams spearheaded Sevilla’s attack, making his sixth start of the season and his twelfth appearance overall. He attempted two shots, one on target, but failed to find the back of the net.
In possession, he completed nine of fifteen passes with 60 per cent accuracy, including seven of thirteen in the opposition half, while maintaining perfect accuracy for his two passes in his own half. Adams was heavily involved in duels, winning five ground challenges and five aerial battles, with three further aerial duels won, demonstrating his presence in both offensive and defensive situations.
He completed three successful dribbles, though he lost possession nine times and was flagged offside twice. Defensively, he added two clearances and two recoveries, showing his commitment despite the team’s struggles. Despite completing the full ninety minutes, Adams was unable to extend his goal tally in the derby, leaving Sevilla with little attacking threat.
Ejuke also started for Sevilla, playing 79 minutes in what was his fourth start of the season. The Nigerian winger recorded one shot and attempted one cross, though neither resulted in a goal. He completed 23 of 26 passes at 88 per cent accuracy, including 13 of 17 in the opposition half, and maintained perfect accuracy for nine passes in his own half.
Ejuke registered forty touches, engaged in six dribbles with three successful, and lost possession eleven times. He was fouled once, recovered the ball twice, and won four of eight ground duels.
Despite the efforts of both Adams and Ejuke, Sevilla were unable to match the intensity of Betis, whose clinical finishing and control of key moments secured the derby victory. The defeat leaves Sevilla searching for answers, while the Nigerian pair will need to bounce back quickly as LaLiga enters its decisive phase.
Belgium
Raphael Onyedika (Atalanta)
Onyedika was active in the heart of Club Brugge’s midfield during a 1-0 home defeat against Antwerp. He completed 77 touches, 91% passing accuracy, four accurate long balls, three key passes, six successful tackles, and nine recoveries.
Despite a penalty conceded in the 76th minute that was saved, Onyedika’s influence remained notable in a challenging match.
France
Terem Moffi (Nice)
Moffi started for Nice in their 1-0 Ligue 1 loss. He registered 24 touches, 71% passing accuracy, two successful dribbles, one big chance created, two key passes, five ground duels won, and five aerial duels won.
The striker’s contribution reflected his ongoing effort to impact matches despite his side’s fourth consecutive league defeat.
SATURDAY
England
Chukwueze, Iwobi, Bassey (Fulham)
Samuel Chukwueze was the standout performer as Fulham secured a 2–1 Premier League victory over Tottenham on Saturday, delivering a performance that underlined his growing importance to the club. The Super Eagles winger provided an assist and was heavily involved in every attacking move, producing what many regard as his most complete display in Fulham colours to date.
Making just his fifth appearance of the season and his first start, Chukwueze looked sharp from the first whistle. His clever fourth-minute cut-back caught Tottenham flat-footed, finding Kenny Tete on the edge of the box, whose effort took a slight deflection off Destiny Udogie before beating goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario to open the scoring. Fulham doubled their advantage inside six minutes, with Chukwueze’s intelligent movement and ball distribution at the heart of the opening salvo.
The 26-year-old now has three assists for the club this season, with this latest contribution marking his second in consecutive matches, having also set up the winner against Sunderland. He came close to scoring himself, rattling the woodwork in one of his two attempts on goal, further highlighting his growing threat in the final third.
While Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey also featured for Fulham, Iwobi now on twelve appearances with a goal and Bassey on twelve outings with three bookings, Chukwueze dominated proceedings. His influence across the pitch, combining incisive passing, creative vision, and defensive work, earned him Fulham’s Man of the Match award, capping off a performance that signalled a potential breakout moment in his Premier League campaign.
Fulham’s first away league win of the season was made possible by Chukwueze’s dynamism and vision, and his display has intensified scrutiny on Tottenham’s manager as the team looks to recover from the setback.
Semi Ajayi (Hull City)
Semi Ajayi scored his first goal for Hull City in their 2-1 away victory over Stoke City. He powered in a 47th-minute header to equalise, helping the team secure all three points. Ajayi made six starts in nine appearances this season, demonstrating leadership and defensive composure in critical moments.
Josh Maja (West Brom)
Josh Maja influenced West Bromwich Albion’s 3-2 comeback victory against Swansea City. Coming on at the start of the second half, he delivered the decisive assist for Jayson Molumby’s winner.
The performance showcased Maja’s ability to change the game and provide crucial contributions despite limited scoring opportunities this season.
Turkey
Paul Onuachu (Trabzonspor)
Onuachu scored twice for Trabzonspor in a 3-1 home win over Konyaspor. The Nigerian striker equalised from the penalty spot before scoring again in open play, marking his third consecutive scoring match.
Across 14 league games this season, Onuachu has scored ten goals and provided one assist, cementing his status as the league’s top scorer.
Italy
Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Lazio)
Dele-Bashiru made his return from injury in Lazio’s 1-0 Serie A defeat to Milan.
Playing 30 minutes after coming on for Matías Vecino, he completed 11 accurate passes (92% passing accuracy), one shot, two recoveries, and two ground duels won, signalling his readiness for upcoming fixtures and Nigeria’s AFCON 2025 campaign.
Czech Republic
Emmanuel Ayaosi (MFK Karvina)
Ayaosi provided two assists as Karviná defeated FC Zlín 3-1 in the Czech Chance League. The Nigerian forward has now accumulated eight goal contributions in 20 appearances, including four goals and four assists, continuing his steady development since graduating from Karviná’s U19s.
Japan
Oriola Sunday (Omiya Ardija)
Sunday played 67 minutes for Ardija in a 3-2 away defeat to Renofa Yamaguchi in the J2 League, providing one assist and contributing to the team’s attacking build-up.
Georgia
Cleopas Timi (FC Meshakhte)
Timi scored a stoppage-time winner for Meshakhte in a 1-0 home victory over Samtredia in the Erovnuli Liga, highlighting his knack for decisive goals in crucial moments.
Belarus
Adeola Olaleye (FC Isloch)
Olaleye scored the opener in Isloch’s 2-0 home win against Nerman, setting the tone for a comfortable victory and demonstrating his effectiveness in front of goal.
Thailand
Chigozie Mbah (Uthai Thani)
Mbah scored his sixth goal of the season in Uthai Thani FC’s 7-0 home triumph over Nakhon, underlining his lethal finishing and consistent form in the Thai League.
Ukraine
Prosper Obah (FC LNZ)
Obah played 88 minutes and delivered an assist in LNZ’s 1-0 home win against Kudrivka in the Ukrainian Premier League, contributing directly to the team’s narrow victory.
