Too Good, Too Bad: The Best and Worst of Nigerians Abroad

Too Good: Henry Onyekuru – In what was predicted to be a walk in the park for Galatasaray, the game between the huge favourites and Gotzepe at Turk Telekom Stadium proved to be tighter than originally thought. It was the Onyekuru who was to be the difference between both sides, though, scoring just before half-time to give his side a 1-0 lead. It stayed that way, and the Everton loanee would’ve been delighted to open his league account for the Yellow Reds.

Too Bad: Abdul Ajagun – Kortrijk’s recent poor run of results continued following a 2-1 home defeat to KV Oostende, and the disappointing Ajagun didn’t cover himself in glory with his performance. The attacking midfielder was deployed in the hole, but his inability to fashion out chances for his side or make any noteworthy impact probably led to his withdrawal on the hour mark. The Guys are winless after four games this season, and Glen De Boeck’s side have to improve promptly to avoid getting dragged into a relegation scrap over the course of the campaign.

Too Good: Leon Balogun – Leon Balogun made his debut for Brighton & Hove Albion against Manchester United – when he replaced the injured Lewis Dunk in the 20th minute – and barely put a foot wrong for Chris Hughton’s side who recorded a memorable 3-2 victory over the Red Devils. The central defender was alive to the danger and snuffed out threatening situations with considerable ease as the Seagulls defended for their lives. He also won several headers to relieve pressure on his side when Jose Mourinho’s side tried to switch things up by going route one at the Amex, and that capped off a solid first appearance in English football.

Too Bad: Ibrahim Alhassan – After Nacional’s 4-2 opening day defeat at Sporting Braga, it wouldn’t have been out of place to expect a response when the Nationalists hosted Moreirense in their first topflight game at Estadio da Madeira since securing promotion. However, Alhassan’s side failed to get the required result as their wayward shooting cost them in a game they dominated for large parts. The central midfielder had several attempts at goal too, but failed to hit the target with any of his efforts. Successive defeats for the newcomers at the start of the season is only proving critics who had them as relegation candidates right, and they’ll need a lot more dispel those notions.

Too Good: Alex Iwobi – Over 90 minutes in Arsenal’s 3-2 defeat at Chelsea, the Gunners were dominated for circa 70 minutes at Stamford Bridge. However, in the little 20 minute spell Unai Emery’s side seemed to get going – after falling two goals behind – they could have torn the Blues apart. Iwobi was a protagonist in that fight back too, involved in Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s strike that halved the deficit, before leveling things up with 41 minutes played. He was also unlucky not to register assists having played in Mkhitaryan (with the north London side 2-0 down) and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who could have sent the visitors 3-2 up before the break, and potentially given the game a different outcome.


source. goal.com