Nigerian players abroad: Irobiso, Awoniyi, Michael, Stephen, Ighodaro score brilliant marks

Soccernet.ng brings you an exhilarating roundup of Nigerian football stars who illuminated European clubs on Friday.

In the English Premier League, Taiwo Awoniyi made it two goals in two games this term as he found the net for Nottingham Forest in the 2-1 win over Sheffield United.

With his latest strike, Awoniyi becomes the first Nigerian player and only the second Forest star to score in six consecutive Premier League matches.

In the Championship, Semi Ajayi and Josh Maja (from the bench) made appearances for West Brom in their impressive 2-2 draw away to Leeds United.

Over to the Spanish Segunda Division, where 20-year-old Babatunde Akinsola was on from start to finish for Real Valladolid as they succumbed to a narrow 0-1 away loss to Real Zaragoza.

In the Belgian First Division A, Super Eagles star Chidera Ejuke and youngster George Ilenikhena were second-half substitutes for Antwerp in the club’s 1-1 draw at OH Leuven.

Now to Finland’s Veikkausliiga, where Peter Michael made it six goals in his last eight games for VPS as they claimed a fine 0-2 away victory over Lahti.

Michael, who joined VPS on a free transfer from Norway’s Grorud in March, doubled VPS’s advantage in the 76th minute after Russia’s Evgeni Bashkirov had given the visitors the lead twenty minutes earlier.

Over to Hungary’s NB I, where Jos-born defender Godfrey Stephen opened the scoring for Diósgyőr in their excellent 1-3 win at Zalaegerszeg.

Bright Edomwonyi also saw 66 minutes of action for the winners.

In the Portuguese Primeira Liga, the best of Super Eagles star Saviour Godwin was not enough to see Casa Pia avoid a 1-2 home defeat against Sporting Lisbon.

Godwin scored for Casa Pia in their 3-0 away win over Farense last weekend but could not repeat that feat in his side’s first home game of the season.

In the Romania Liga I, Christian Irobiso smashed in his first brace in six years to power Petrolul 52 to a thrilling 4-3 home win over visiting U Craiova 1948.

Irobiso had not scored more than once in a competitive fixture for any club since he managed it for Cova Piedade in a 3-1 triumph over Fafe in April 2017.

But the 30-year-old attacker erased that blight when he hit the target in the 4th and 60th minutes at the Stadionul Ilie Oană in Ploieşti on Friday night.

And finally to South Africa’s PSL, where Etiosa Ighodaro netted the only goal of the encounter as Supersport United triumphed over Cale Town City at the TUT Stadium in Pretoria.