Nigerian stars took the centre stage in the English Premier League on Saturday, with Alex Iwobi’s goal helping Fulham secure a 2-1 victory against Wilfred Ndidi’s Leicester City, while Ola Aina and Taiwo Awoniyi’s Nottingham Forest edged Joe Aribo’s Southampton 1-0.
At Craven Cottage, Fulham ended their 12-year jinx of failing to win their opening home fixture in style.
The hosts drew first blood in the 18th minute through summer signing Emile Smith Rowe, who latched onto Adama Traoré’s neat pass before thumping a left-footed shot past Mads Hermansen.
Leicester, however, fought back and equalised in the 38th minute. Wout Faes’ thumping header from a corner was initially ruled out for offside against Jamie Vardy, but referee Darren Bond overturned his decision after consulting the VAR monitor.
The game remained delicately poised until the 70th minute, when Iwobi stamped his authority on the match.
former Arsenal player was sent racing through on goal by Anthony Robinson’s first-time ball around the corner before squeezing a left-footed shot past Hermansen to restore Fulham’s lead.
Iwobi’s goal proved decisive, as Fulham held on for a precious 2-1 victory. The former Everton man, along with Super Eagles teammate Calvin Bassey, played the full 90 minutes for the Cottagers while doing the same in Leicester colours.
In another thrilling encounter at Saint Mary’s, Southampton’s search for their first points of the season continued as they fell to a 1-0 defeat against Nottingham Forest.
The match, featuring three Nigerian players across both teams, was a cagey affair for much of the contest.
After a forgettable first half, Southampton began the second with increased attacking intensity. However, they struggled to create clear-cut chances against a resolute Forest defence that included Ola Aina, who put in a solid 90-minute shift.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 76th minute, when Morgan Gibbs-White reacted quickest to a rebound after his initial header was scrambled off the line by Yukinari Sugawara.
The goal came just as Taiwo Awoniyi was introduced as a substitute for Forest, injecting fresh energy into their attack.
Joe Aribo, who started for Southampton, was withdrawn at the same time as Awoniyi’s introduction, unable to influence the game as he would have hoped.
Paul Onuachu and Emmanuel Dennis were not included in the matchday squads for Southampton and Nottingham Forest, respectively.
The results leave Fulham and Nottingham Forest in good spirits, while Leicester and Southampton will be looking to bounce back in their next fixtures.
For the Nigerian contingent, it was a day of mixed fortunes, with Iwobi, Aina, and Awoniyi emerging victorious, while Ndidi and Aribo ended up in the losing sides.
These performances underline the growing influence of Nigerian players in the English top-tier league, with their contributions proving crucial to their teams’ fortunes. As the season progresses, all eyes will be on these Super Eagles stars as they continue to make their mark in one of the world’s most competitive
leagues.
