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Euro Eagles Review is a weekly series evaluating the performances of Nigerian footballers in Europe.
Is Osimhen about to break Capocannoniere curse?
Much was made about Napoli’s first game at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona after securing their first Scudetto in 33 years, and the Partenopei secured a 1-0 win over Fiorentina.
The match-winner was expectedly Victor Osimhen, but the centre-forward did not have it easy against the Viola.
Denied from the spot just after the break by Pietro Terracciano, the Nigeria international had not only missed his chance to put more daylight between himself and Capocannoniere contender Lautaro Martinez but surpass George Weah as the top-scoring African in Serie A history.
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22:19 - 07.05.2023
Osimhen talks surpassing inspirational George Weah
Victor Osimhen is the most prolific African in the history of Serie A, and the Super Eagles striker reveals what this means to him.
Nearly 30 minutes after he had been denied from 12 yards for the second time this season, the Napoli marksman was third-time lucky, opting for the same side after Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was fouled in the area.
Osimhen’s strike was his 23rd in Serie A this season, taking him four clear of Inter Milan’s Martinez with four league games remaining.
More importantly, the Super Eagle has now supplanted George Weah’s previous record of 46 goals in the Italian top flight, as his tally now reads 47.
Surprisingly, the league’s top scorer has not been on the title-winning side since Inter’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic in 2008-09, so there is still much to play for in the final weeks for Osimhen, who seeks to ward off Martinez.
Cocky Orban nearly breaks the internet
Gift Orban caused Standard Liege problems before going off with five minutes remaining in Gent’s 2-1 victory at the Maurice Dufrasne Stadium on Saturday.
The forward had already put the away side 1-0 up on the half-hour mark, running onto Hugo Cuypers’s pass behind the home side’s backline to finish with aplomb inside the area.
Orban took two glances at the Liege’s goalkeeper Arnaud Bodart — before receiving possession and just before finishing — before putting the ball past him for his 11th league goal of an impressive debut season in the Pro League.
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22:54 - 06.05.2023
Standard Liege vs Gent: Nigerian sensation Gift Orban on fire again in Belgium
Nigerian superstar Gift Orban has scored two goals in just one start for Gent in the Belgian playoffs.
The 20-year-old’s pace and composure saw him score a second, only for it to be disallowed, and it was that menacing speed that forced Bodart off his line to prevent the Nigerian from receiving another Cuypers through-ball, but the goalkeeper’s interception fell to Orban’s strike partner who scored the game’s winning goal.
However, the youngster’s threatening pace was not the game’s standout moment. At the restart after halftime, the Nigerian did the unthinkable by shooting at goal from the kick-off, catching Cuypers off-guard.
Unfortunately, the effort hit the bar, denying Orban a goal that would have broken the internet.
The win means Gent have opened up a five-point lead atop the Play-off II standings, giving them an early advantage to make next season’s Europa Conference League second qualifying round.
Decisive Boniface gets the better of Onyedika
Union Saint-Gilloise returned to winning ways in the Championship Play-off with a 2-1 victory at Club Brugge, aided by Victor Boniface’s terrific strike.
The Nigerian opened the scoring just before half-time when he created separation from Jorne Spileers and took down Siebe Van Der Heyden’s pass on his chest before firing a low effort from far out into the bottom right corner.
Boniface almost had another just after the hour, but the goal was ruled out for the most marginal offside call.
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It was not to cost Union, despite Brugge halving the deficit late on through Hans Vanaken, with maximum points putting Union 60 level with Genk and a point behind table-topping Royal Antwerp.
As for Raphael Onyedika, the midfielder gave a solid account of himself, even if his teammates fell short.
Brugge are 11 points behind Union and Genk following two defeats, while 12 points separate them from Antwerp, giving FCB little chance of claiming a 19th Belgian top-flight title.
Onyeka’s commendable Anfield showing
Frank Onyeka seldom completes 90 minutes, and only once this season has the Brentford midfielder played more than Saturday’s 71 minutes (86 in last November’s 2-1 success at Manchester City), but the Bees midfielder produced an encouraging showing at Liverpool.
Thomas Frank’s men could not complete a Premier League double over Jurgen Klopp’s men, losing 1-0 at Anfield on Saturday as the Reds continued their late push for Champions League qualification.
Only Ivan Toney (eight) won more ground duels than Onyeka (seven), although closer inspection shows the Nigerian came out on top in 70 percent of his tussles, while the striker’s success rate was 61.5 percent.
The Super Eagle’s two completed dribbles outdid everyone except Trent Alexander-Arnold (three), and the midfielder won the first-half free-kick from which Toney almost levelled for the West London visitors.
Moffi is back among the goals
Terem Moffi scored his first Ligue 1 goal since the start of April when he netted the second in Nice’s 2-1 triumph over Rennes.
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19:10 - 07.04.2023
ANALYSIS Moffi: Nice’s big-game POMO king can stun PSG to reopen Ligue 1 title race
The Nigerian’s understanding of the positions to occupy inside the box makes him a menace to the Parisians on Saturday.
The striker pounded upon Arthur Theate’s under-hit pass, rounded Steve Mandanda and slotted the ball into an empty net.
That goal took the Super Eagle to 17 in the league in 2022-23, with 20 for the season.
Since making his Ligue 1 debut in 2020, only Mohamed Salah and Victor Osimhen among African players in Europe’s top-five leagues have netted more than the Nice striker’s 39 goals in the French top flight.
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