Nigerian Players Watch: Enyeama is star of the week

After the international break in which there was a pause across the top leagues across the world, Nigerian players were back in action for their respective clubs over the weekend.

PREMIUM TIMES takes a look at the performance of some top Nigerian players for their respective clubs across the world.

Starting off from France, we look at the heroics of goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama, who many say his absence from the Super Eagles contributed in a way to the dismal results recorded by the Africa Champions in their first set of qualifying matches for the Morocco 2015 edition.

Enyeama kept a clean sheet, the third this season as his club Lille secured a 2-0 win over Nice which effectively took them to the top of the table in the French Ligue 1.

For the other big Nigerian player in France, Elderson Echiejile, it was another no show as he was not in action for Monaco in their 2-1 loss to Lyon. The defender is down with a knock suffered in the Nigeria game against South Africa in Cape Town.

Away from France, we head to England where Nigeria is a way well represented.

Stoke City – With Osaze Odemwingie injured, it was only Victor Moses that that played over the weekend, the Nigerian winger was given his second starter’s shirt by Coach Mark Hughes.

Unfortunately, the Potters could not build on their 1-0 away win over Man City last term at the Ethihad as they gifted newly promoted Leicester City their first EPL win; going down 1-0 at the Britannia Stadium .

It wasn’t all gloom as Moses could have rescued a point for the home side but the Leicester goalkeeper blocked his point blank shot. Moses was named the whoscored.com Man of the match with 100 per cent pass accuracy.

Chelsea – Chelsea came from a goal down to defeat Swansea City 4-2, unfortunately Nigeria’s John Mikel Obi was not named in the squad and the Blues did not miss the Super Eagles midfielder one bit.

West Brom – Brown Ideye is yet to justify the huge investment made on him by the Baggies as he again fired blanks in the 0-2 loss to Everton. Ideye started in the absence of Victor Anichebe and played for 70 minutes before he was finally substituted having failed to deliver the goals his team was expecting.

Queens Park Rangers – Nedum Onuoha was on the substitutes’ bench for all 90 minutes as his side was pounded 4-0 at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Germany

Schalke 04: Chinedu Obasi, who was denied the opportunity of staring for Nigeria in the first set of Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches, was left on the bench for 90 minutes as his team Schalke 04 was humiliated by Borussia Monchengladbach 4-1 in one of the weekend fixtures in the Bundesliga.

Cologne –On his part, another Nigerian forward Anthony Ujah played 77 minutes for his team as they battled to a point away to Paderborn on Saturday. Ujah has one league goal this season.

Italy

Serie A
Lazio – Ogenyi Onazi was an unused substitute as Lazio won their first points of the new season by beating Cesena 3-0 on Sunday.

Inter Milan – Joel Obi was an unused substitute for Inter Milan in their 7-0 rout of Sassuolo on Sunday. Bi is yet to play any minute this season.

Serie B

Crotone – Nnamdi Oduamadi, was not named in the squad that drew 1-1 at home to Carpi.

Spain

Almeria – Ramon Azeez was not included in the squad that drew 1-1 with Cordoba last Friday.

Villarreal – Yet to recover fully from injury, Ikechukwu Uche was not named in the Villarreal squad that drew 0-0 away to Granada.

Granada – U-17 World Cup winner, Isaac Success started again but was taken off at the beginning of the second half. Granada drew 0-0 at home to Villarreal on Sunday.

Russia
CSKA Moscow – Ahmed Musa played all 90 minutes as his team beat Arsenal Tula 2-1. The striker has two goals in the seven-week old league.

Portugal

Academica – Super Eagles midfielder, Obiora Nwankwo, played 70 minutes in their 1-0 away loss to Boavista and it was the fourth game for the former Cordoba of Spain player.
Holland
Cambur: Former Super Eagles star, Bartholomew Ogbeche, scored in his team’s 3-0 win over Gronigen. The Nigerian strker scored in the 74th minute and played for all 90 minutes in Sunday’s game.

Ukraine
Dynamo Moscow – Lukman Haruna, now a lone ranger at the Kiev-based team after summer exit of his compatriot, Ideye, is still not back to full fitness after surgery and was not named in the team that drew 2-2 away to Zorya.

Metalist – Former Super Eagles midfielder, Ayila Yusuf, was an unused substitute as Metalist were humiliated 5-2 at home by Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk.

Volyn – Michael Babatunde made his first appearance of the season in a 3-0 home win over Metalurh Zaporizhya on Sunday. Babatunde came on for Redvan Memeshev in the 64th minute.

Metalurh Zaporizhya – Nurudeen Orelesi made his debut and was shown a yellow card in the 57th minute. The midfielder played all 90 minutes after his move from Skenderbeu Korce in Albania.

Turkey
Eskisehirspor – Raheem Lawal played all 90 minutes and was shown a yellow card in the 90th minute as his team secured a commendable barren draw against top guns Galatasaray on Saturday.

Gaziantepspor – Two Nigerians were named in the squad that drew 2-2 with Kayseri Erciyesspor on Sunday. Gbenga Arokoyo played all 90 minutes while John Chibuike was again an unused substitute.

Fenerbahce – There was no goals for Emmanuel Emenike as he played for 90 minutes before being substituted in a 0-0 result away to Trabzonspor on Sunday.

Istanbul Basaksehir – Michael Eneramo came off the bench for his debut against Karabukspor on Sunday. The former Espernace of Tunisia lanky forward played the last 29 minutes of the encounter.