Fatshimetrie: Nigerian Stars’ Exploits Abroad
After a short break for competitions such as Euro 2024 and the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the Naija Stars Abroad series is back for a second season, ahead of the new football campaign around the world.
Several Nigerian players, led by Victor Osimhen, Josh Maja, Kelechi Iheanacho, Cyriel Dessers and Maduka Okoye, were the talk of the town following their performances over the weekend.
Napoli’s Victor Osimhen was absent in his team’s hard-fought penalty shootout win over Madena, while Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye shone with a remarkable performance in Udinese’s 4-0 win over Avellino in a pre-season friendly.
In England, it was Josh Maja’s spectacular display that marked the start of the EFL Championship last weekend. The 25-year-old was the hero in West Brom’s 3-1 win over Queens Park Rangers, scoring an incredible hat-trick.
Cyriel Dessers also continued to impress for Rangers, opening the scoring in his side’s 2-1 win over Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership, registering his first league goal of the season.
Toluwase Arokodare scored his second goal of the season to inspire Genk to a 3-2 win over Club Brugge, while Kazeem Olaigbe also found the back of the net for Cercle Brugge in a big win over Beerschot VA.
Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey also tasted victory as Fulham wrapped up their pre-season with a convincing 2-0 win over Hoffenheim.
However, not all Nigerian players have enjoyed the same success, with Chidera Ejuke and Kelechi Iheanacho enduring a tough day as Sevilla were beaten 4-1 by Liverpool at Anfield.
It is shaping up to be an exciting new season, with Naija Stars Abroad looking to continue their impressive form and make their mark on the European stage.
Amid the excitement of a new season, the spotlight has turned to Josh Maja, who was voted Player of the Week for his exploits on the pitch. His performances so far this season promise a bright future for Nigerian football on a global scale.