Sports
How African Players Performed In Europe Last Week
Senegal striker, Nicolas Jackson scored his fourth goal in three matches to give Chelsea a 3-2 victory over Nottingham Forest at the weekend.
The 22-year-old has endured a difficult first season with the Blues since moving from Villarreal, but recently showed signs of adapting to the Premier League.
Chelsea lie seventh with two matches to play, behind Newcastle United on goal difference and three points ahead of Manchester United.
ENGLAND
NICOLAS JACKSON (Chelsea)
Jackson scored his 17th goal this season to seal the Blues’ win at Forest. He headed home in the 82nd minute to complete Chelsea’s comeback from 2-1 down to keep his team in contention for a European place.
YOANE WISSA, BRYAN MBEUMO (Brentford)
Democratic Republic of Congo midfielder Wissa netted for the 11th time this term and Cameroon forward Mbeumo got his ninth of the campaign as the Bees won 2-1 at Bournemouth. Wissa bagged the stoppage-time winner after Mbeumo’s 86th-minute strike, his 50th Brentford goal, was cancelled by Dominic Solanke three minutes later.
ABDOULAYE DOUCOURE (Everton)
The Mali midfielder grabbed the winner as Everton beat Sheffield United 1-0 at Goodison Park. The 31-year-old headed in Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s cross in the 31st minute.
SPAIN
BRAHIM DIAZ (Real Madrid)
The Moroccan playmaker has played an important role in Madrid’s La Liga title conquest this season and netted twice during the second half at relegated Granada in a 4-0 win. The first was a fine solo goal, driving forward from halfway and, with defenders standing off, he tucked home. The second was a neat finish after being teed up by Luka Modric.
YOUSSEF EN-NESYRI (Sevilla)
Morocco striker En-Nesyri put Sevilla ahead twice at Villarreal, but his team still suffered a 3-2 loss. The forward tucked home a penalty to open the scoring after 26 minutes and then headed home before half-time from close range.
INAKI WILLIAMS (Athletic Bilbao)
Ghana international Williams had a goal ruled out for offside early in Athletic’s 2-2 draw against Osasuna, before scoring in the second half. The striker helped his team come from two goals down to draw, sending a rasping effort across goal and into the top corner.
ITALY
ISMAEL BENNACER (AC Milan)
The Algerian international opened the scoring as second-placed Milan thrashed Cagliari 5-1 in Serie A. Bennacer was on hand to turn in the rebound when a shot from Nigerian teammate Samuel Chukwueze was pushed away by the goalkeeper. Bennacer also set up a goal for Rafael Leao.
GERMANY
VICTOR BONIFACE, AMINE ADLI (Bayer Leverkusen)
Bayer striker Boniface and winger Adli both got on the scoresheet in a 5-0 Bundesliga romp over 10-man Bochum. When Nigerian Nathan Tella was fouled, compatriot Boniface converted the penalty in first-half stoppage time. Moroccan Adli came on with 21 minutes remaining and was in the right place at the right time to head in from a corner.
SEERHOU GUIRASSY (Stuttgart)
Guinea international Guirassy scored as Stuttgart kept up pressure on second-placed Bayern Munich with a 1-0 win at Augsburg. Guirassy collected a long pass three minutes after half-time and poked the ball home.
FRANCE
PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG (Marseille)
Veteran Gabon striker Aubameyang continued his prolific first season at Marseille by scoring twice in a 3-1 win over Lorient that kept their hopes of European qualification alive going into the final weekend of the campaign. The brace took him to 16 goals in Ligue 1, and 29 in all competitions.
FRANK MAGRI (Toulouse)
The striker who appeared for Cameroon at this year’s Africa Cup of Nations helped Toulouse spoil Paris Saint-Germain’s title party at the Parc des Princes. Magri came off the bench to score the visitors’ final goal in their surprise 3-1 win, as PSG lost in Ligue 1 for the first time since September.
Iwobi spoke to Tidesports source ahead of Nigeria’s crunch playoff semi-final against Gabon on Thursday, November 13, in Rabat, Morocco.
The 28-year-old was reacting to Nigeria’s shaky World Cup qualifying campaign that saw the Eagles finish second in Group C behind South Africa’s Bafana Bafana.
“We’ve managed to rescue ourselves from the dead,” Iwobi told Tidesports source.
We know we have the players and the abilities to compete against any other country in the world.”
The Fulham star pointed to Nigeria’s star power, highlighting African Footballer of the Year winners Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen as proof of the squad’s quality.
“We have last year’s African best player (Ademola Lookman), the year before that (Victor Osimhen),” he said.
“It’ll be a shame if we don’t make it, but we have a lot of confidence. We just have to prove it to ourselves.”
Nigeria’s path to the United States, Canada and Mexico has been turbulent, with two coaches departing during the early stages of qualifying before Éric Chelle steadied the ship to steer the Super Eagles into November’s CAF playoffs.
Four nations from the continent – Nigeria, Cameroon, DR Congo and Gabon – will vie for a solitary spot to compete in next March’s inter-confederation playoffs, with a view to joining the already nine qualified African nations at the Finals.
It would mark Iwobi’s second appearance at the World Cup Finals and the Super Eagles’ first since the 2018 edition of the competition.
Back then, Iwobi featured in all three games as Nigeria was knocked out in the group stage.
The Chief Executive Officer(CEO) and Publisher of the Atlantic Bell Online medium, Mr. Celestine Ogolo has advised sports writers in Nigeria to diversify in sports writing and not to concentrate on football reporting alone.
The Deputy National President of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Mr. Bonny Nyong has expressed commitment to support sports development and move SWAN forward.