Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman etched his name into Spanish football history this past Sunday, delivering the crucial winning goal in Atlético Madrid’s narrow 1-0 triumph over Girona FC at the iconic Wanda Metropolitano. The versatile Nigerian international’s 20th-minute strike not only secured another vital LaLiga victory for Diego Simeone’s side but also marked a significant personal milestone: Lookman has now scored in consecutive league matches for the first time in his illustrious LaLiga career, underscoring his increasingly pivotal role since his arrival in Madrid during the winter transfer window.
The former Atalanta BC attacker showcased his predatory instincts, reacting swiftly to a dangerous low cross from French maestro Antoine Griezmann that zipped across the six-yard box, calmly slotting the ball home from close range. Lookman remained a constant menace to the Girona defence throughout the fiercely contested encounter, even having another effort disallowed for offside in the 33rd minute, which initially sent the home faithful into premature celebrations. He nearly doubled his tally early in the second half, only to be denied by a brilliant, last-ditch intervention from a Girona defender. Following an energetic display, Lookman was eventually substituted in the 63rd minute as Atlético expertly managed the game to secure all three points, solidifying his status as a key attacking threat for both club and country.
Elsewhere in the Spanish top flight, the promising revival of Super Eagles striker Umar Sadiq continued as he featured for Valencia CF in their thrilling 4-3 victory over his former club, Real Sociedad, at the Anoeta Stadium. Sadiq was introduced for 17 minutes in the entertaining seven-goal thriller, a valuable outing as Valencia intensifies its push for a strong finish to the current campaign. The Nigerian striker made his move to Valencia permanent last summer, having initially arrived on loan from Sociedad. Since then, he has steadily rebuilt his confidence, contributing four league goals and two assists in 19 appearances, a testament to his resilience and talent.
However, it was a less fruitful weekend for other Nigerian forwards in Spain. Akor Adams, who boasts an impressive tally of 10 LaLiga goals this season, was unable to add to his count as Sevilla FC suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat against Spanish giants Real Madrid CF. Adams played the entire 90 minutes but found no breakthrough against a formidable Madrid defence. Fellow Nigerian Chidera Ejuke also featured in the loss, coming on for 37 minutes as Sevilla sought an equaliser.
Across the continent in Türkiye, towering Super Eagles striker Paul Onuachu concluded the season as a joint top scorer in the Turkish Super Lig, finishing level on 22 goals with Eldor Shomurodov of İstanbul Başakşehir F.K. Despite a remarkable campaign that included a devastating 10-game scoring streak earlier in the season, Onuachu’s goal-scoring prowess experienced a late dip. He failed to find the back of the net for the seventh consecutive league match as Trabzonspor suffered a 3-0 home defeat to Gençlerbirliği S.K. on the final day, allowing Uzbekistan captain Shomurodov to draw level with his 22nd goal of the campaign. Notwithstanding missing the chance to finish as the outright top scorer, Onuachu’s achievement remains outstanding, having netted his 22 goals in just 29 league appearances, a more efficient return compared to Shomurodov who required 34 matches to reach the same tally.
In the English Premier League, Taiwo Awoniyi continued to build momentum for Nottingham Forest FC, despite their nervy 3-2 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford. Awoniyi, who recently made a strong return to the starting lineup and scored a brace against Chelsea, featured for 21 minutes. The bulky striker has now played 16 league matches this season, contributing four goals and one assist. Positively for Forest, they remain safe from relegation with 43 points from 37 league matches. However, the Super Eagles camp might be concerned as fellow defender Ola Aina remains sidelined with another injury setback, potentially facing a race against time to be fit for Nigeria’s crucial Unity Cup matches and international friendlies scheduled for June, which are vital for national team preparations.
Meanwhile, it was another frustrating afternoon for Tolu Arokodare as Wolverhampton Wanderers could only manage a 1-1 draw against Fulham F.C. Arokodare made his 32nd Premier League appearance of the campaign but could not add to his modest tally of three goals and one assist this season, with Wolves still facing the grim prospect of relegation to the Championship. In the same fixture, returning Super Eagles midfielders Alex Iwobi and Samuel Chukwueze both drew blanks for Fulham in a game that could have gone either way. Compatriot Calvin Bassey, however, delivered an assured performance in his defensive contributions for the Cottagers.
Over in Italy, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru made his return to action for S.S. Lazio after missing their Coppa Italia final defeat to Inter Milan. The Nigerian midfielder came off the bench in Lazio’s fiery Rome derby clash against AS Roma, a match that ended in a 2-0 defeat for Lazio and notably saw red cards issued to players from both teams. Dele-Bashiru featured for 29 minutes and is still awaiting his first goal of the season as the league heads into its final weekend. At relegated Pisa Sporting Club, Ebenezer Akinsanmiro continued to receive valuable Serie A minutes despite the club’s struggles, playing 61 minutes during Pisa’s 3-0 defeat to SSC Napoli. Fellow Nigerian Rafiu Durosinmi missed the encounter amid growing transfer speculation surrounding his future.
Furthermore, Maduka Okoye, the Super Eagles goalkeeper, saw his impressive clean-sheet run for Udinese Calcio come to an end. Okoye, who recently became the first Nigerian goalkeeper since the legendary Vincent Enyeama to record 10 clean sheets in a single season across Europe’s top five leagues, was beaten as early as the ninth minute by former Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy during Udinese’s clash against Cremonese. Despite the recent setback, Okoye’s achievement of ten clean sheets remains a significant highlight for Nigerian football fans and a testament to his developing prowess between the sticks.
Finally, in Belgium, Raphael Onyedika moved closer to securing another league title with Club Brugge KV after they comprehensively thrashed Royale Union Saint-Gilloise 5-0 on Sunday. Although the Nigerian midfielder featured for only 16 minutes, transfer rumours surrounding his future did little to distract from the celebratory atmosphere at the Jan Breydelstadion. Brugge entered the game just one point ahead of Union and have now extended their advantage to a comfortable four points with just two games remaining this season, putting them in pole position for another Belgian league crown. Onyedika has made 30 league appearances this campaign, scoring once, as Brugge continues its impressive charge.
Originally sourced from Premium Times. This article has been rewritten for our readers.
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