After the disappointment of Nigeria’s World Cup playoff loss to DR Congo, some Super Eagles stars found solace in the Premier League this weekend, helping their teams secure crucial victories and positive performances.
Samuel Chukwueze provided an assist as Fulham edged Sunderland 1-0 at Craven Cottage on Saturday.
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Chukwueze, who came on in the 64th minute, delivered a pinpoint cross that Raul Jimenez converted in the 84th.
Fellow Super Eagles, Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey, also featured for Fulham. Iwobi played until the 89th minute, while Bassey completed the full 90 minutes.
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The win lifted Fulham to 14th place with 14 points, giving the team a boost after a difficult run.
Meanwhile, Tolu Arokodare’s Premier League frustrations continued as Wolverhampton Wanderers fell 2-0 to Crystal Palace at Molineux.
Arokodare was unable to find the net, while Super Eagles teammate Chrisantus Uche remained an unused substitute.
Second-half strikes from Daniel Munoz and Yeremy Pino sealed the win for Palace, who moved up to fourth with 20 points, leaving Wolves anchored at the bottom with just two points.
In other fixtures involving Nigerian players, Frank Onyeka was on the bench as Brentford lost 2-1 to Brighton, while Taiwo Awoniyi and Ola Aina missed Nottingham Forest’s stunning 3-0 triumph over Liverpool at Anfield.
Forest’s goals came from Murillo, Nicolo Savona, and Morgan Gibbs-White, marking their second successive win at Anfield and helping lift Sean Dyche’s team out of the relegation zone.
In the day’s early kickoff, Chelsea closed the gap on leaders Arsenal with a 2-0 victory at Burnley.
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Pedro Neto put the Blues ahead in the 37th minute, and Enzo Fernandez sealed the win in the 88th. Meanwhile, Bournemouth salvaged a 2-2 draw with West Ham after trailing 2-0 at halftime, Marcus Tavernier and Enes Unal scoring the equalizers.
For Nigeria’s Premier League contingent, the weekend offered a mixture of relief and renewed confidence.
Chukwueze’s decisive contribution and the solid displays from Iwobi and Bassey were welcome positives, signaling that the Super Eagles stars are finding their rhythm in the build up to the Africa Cup of Nations starting in less than 30 days in Morocco.
