•Boniface, Tella win first title as Nigerian stars start 2024/25 season
As the highest leagues overseas started through the weekend, Nigerian stars are losing no time within the 2024/25 season as some are already successful trophies whereas some newcomers additionally introduced their entry on the large stage, ABIODUN ADEWALE experiences
Sunday
ENGLAND
Frank Owena (Brentford)
Similar to final season, Tremendous Eagles midfielder Onyeka is being eased into the 2024/25 Premier League season.
He was concerned for simply six minutes, approaching as an 84th-minute substitute of their 2-1 win over Crystal Palace.
Cameroonian midfielder Bryan Mbeumo gave Brentford the lead within the first half after being arrange by Yoane Wissa.
They had been pegged again by an unlucky personal aim within the second half, however Wissa had the ultimate say, scoring the winner within the 76th minute.
FRANCE
Akor Adams (Montpellier)
Adams stays the trusted level man for Montpellier, as they began their Ligue 1 marketing campaign in opposition to Strasbourg at dwelling on Sunday.
The striker scored eight league targets in 32 video games, most of which got here within the first half of the season.
Moses Simon (Nantes)
After overcoming a latest harm setback, Simon retained his spot in Nantes’ beginning lineup of their season opener away to Toulouse.
Present Orban (Lyon)
Regardless of that includes prominently in pre-season, Orban appear to not have cemented a spot in Lyon’s first crew for the brand new season. He was named on the bench throughout their sport in opposition to Stade Rennes.
Orban admitted he had a tough begin to his Olympique Lyon profession following his winter arrival on the Ligue 1 membership.
After an impressive season with Belgian membership Gent, the Benue-born striker was signed by the seven-time Ligue 1 champions in January 2024 for a reported payment of €12m.
He managed simply three targets in 16 appearances throughout all competitions, however higher expectations had been positioned on the Nigerian following his arrival on the membership.
ITALY
Fisay Dele-Bashiru (Lazio)
Lazio’s new No. 7, Dele-Bashiru slotted straight into the primary crew for his Serie A debut of their first sport in opposition to Venezia.
Dele-Bashiru joined from Hatayspor on a season-long mortgage, with an obligation to purchase if he impresses.
The 23-year-old shone within the Turkish Tremendous Lig final season, scoring 9 targets and offering six assists.
THE NETHERLANDS
Chuba Akpom (Ajax)
Akpom was handed a begin in Ajax’s second league sport of the season in opposition to NAC Breda, however he couldn’t make any affect on the sport earlier than being taken off within the 66th minute for Brian Brobbery.
The previous champions misplaced the sport 2-1. Ajax are on a redemption mission this season after struggling all through final season.
The striker, nevertheless, managed 11 league targets and three assists in 25 matches.
SPAIN
Sadiq Umar (Actual Sociedad)
Nonetheless a topic of a possible summer time exit, Umar was began on the bench as Actual Sociedad started their 2024/25 La Liga marketing campaign in opposition to Rayon Vallecano.
Following his return from a protracted harm layoff, which had hammered his performances since 2022, Umar managed solely three targets and one help in 26 league video games.
Spanish publication AS confirmed that the membership are able to promote the striker, setting a €20m asking value.
Earlier in Could, the striker requested to depart Sociedad following one other turbulent season with the Basque membership.
It’s been a tough two-year spell for the Tremendous Eagles striker since becoming a member of the membership from Almeria through the 2022 summer time for €20m.
BELGIUM
RAPHAEL ONYEDIKA (Membership Brugge)
Tremendous Eagles midfielder Onyedika was concerned for 83 minutes as defending Belgian champions Membership Brugge bought their first win of the season, beating Antwerp 1-0.
He was a saved determine of their triumph final season, scoring three essential targets plus one help.
SATURDAY
GERMANY
BONIFACE, TELLA (Bayer Leverkusen)
Tremendous Eagles forwards Victor Boniface and Nathan Tella started the season with a trophy on Saturday, following Bayer Leverkusen’s penalty shootout win over Stuttgart within the German Tremendous Cup.
Boniface opened his aim account for the season with the sport’s first aim within the eleventh minute, however his involvement was restricted to the primary half, having been substituted within the fortieth minute for Jonathan Tah, no due to an unlucky sending off of Martin Terrier.
Tella was an unused substitute within the sport, the place Stuttgart got here from behind to guide 2-1 earlier than Patrick Schick drew Xabi Alonso’s males stage in stoppage time.
The encounter ultimately dragged into penalties, with Bayer Leverkusen rising 4-3 triumphant.
ENGLAND
JOE ARIBO (Southampton)
After a reviving season within the Championship, Aribo made a swift return to the Premier League with Southampton, becoming into their beginning line-up of their 1-0 defeat to 10-man Newcastle United.
The Nigerian midfielder labored an awesome shift for 70 minutes earlier than he was taken off.
AWONIYI, AINA (Nottingham Forest)
A brand new season and a brand new problem for Taiwo Awoniyi and Ola Aina on the Metropolis Floor as Nottingham Forest started their 2024/25 marketing campaign with a 1-1 draw at dwelling to Bournemouth.
Aina began the sport however was taken off within the 54th minute, whereas Awoniyi got here on for goalscorer Chris Wooden within the 72nd minute.
After an underwhelming marketing campaign final time period because of recurring accidents, Awoniyi will hope to stamp his identify as soon as once more inside the Forest fan base with targets.
ITALY
SAMUEL CHUKWUEZE (AC Milan)
Chukwueze had a recent begin to his Milan profession throughout pre-season, and that earned him a spot within the star-studded frontline of Paulo Fonesca’s crew on Saturday evening.
Regardless of the flashes of Chukwueze and his teammates, they needed to combat from two targets right down to salvage a 2-2 draw in opposition to Atalanta at San Siro.
The Nigerian winger was subbed off within the sixtieth minute for Theo Hernandez, with the scoreline nonetheless 2-0 in favour of their guests.
New striker and second-half substitute Alvaro Morata pulled one again for Milan earlier than one other substitute, Noah Okafor, levelled issues in stoppage
time.
BELGIUM
AROKODARE, SOR (Genk)
Tolu Arokodare has began the brand new season like a home on fireplace, scoring a brace of their thrilling 4-3 away win over Beerschot on Saturday to take his tally to 4 targets this season.
He gave Genk a 2-1 lead, his first of the sport, within the twenty ninth minute.
The 23-year-old was arrange by his compatriot Yira Sor for his second aim within the 63rd minute to make it 4-2 earlier than the house aspect pulled one again within the 86th minute.
TOM DELE-BASHIRU (Watford)
Former Flying Eagles midfielder Dele-Bashiru put in an excellent shift for 90 minutes to assist Watford to a 3-0 win over Stoke Metropolis at Vicarage Street on Saturday.
With two wins in as many video games, Watford are heading in the right direction for a return to the highest flight subsequent season.
SCOTLAND
DESSERS, BALOGUN (Rangers)
In Scotland, Cyriel Dessers bought off the bench to encourage Rangers to a 2-0 win over St. Johnstone within the League Cup.
The Nigeria striker was given a relaxation after enjoying back-to-back video games for the Gers, however he was introduced on within the second half as a result of they wanted targets.
Dessers set to work instantly, as he scored quarter-hour after he was subbed in. The previous Feyenoord man then supplied the help for Ross McCausland, who scored Rangers’ second in stoppage time.
The win sealed the Gers’ place within the quarterfinals of the competitors.
TURKEY
OLAWOYIN, AKINTOLA (Rizespor)
Midfielder Ibrahim Olawoyin and ahead David Akintola each saved their locations within the beginning line-up as Caykur Rizespor recorded their first win of the Turkey Tremendous Lig season, beating Adana Demirapor 2-1 away from dwelling.
Each gamers had been taken off in stoppage time with just a bit left to see off the win.
SERBIA
PETER OLAYINKA (Crimson Star Belgrade)
Within the Serbian Tremendous Liga, Peter Olayinka confirmed wonderful kind as he bagged a brace to propel Crimson Star Belgrade to a convincing 4-1 win at Cukaricki.
Olayinka headed dwelling the primary aim within the fifteenth minute and doubled the benefit shortly after with a wonderful curled shot that gave the goalkeeper no probability.
The Tremendous Eagles star’s brace set the guests on the trail to a victory that powered them to the highest of the league desk after 5 rounds of matches.
SPAIN
CHRISANTUS UCHE (Getafe)
Chrisantus Uche scored on his aggressive debut for Getafe of their thrilling 1-1 draw in opposition to Athletic Bilbao on the La Liga opening weekend.
Oihan Sancet’s good strike handed Athletic Bilbao the lead within the twenty seventh minute, however Uche rose highest to equalise for Getafe with a strong header halfway by means of the second half.
Twenty-one-year-old Uche, who was enjoying newbie soccer in his hometown of Owerri two years in the past, solely joined Getafe this summer time from the Spanish third-tier aspect, Ceuta, for 500,000 euros.