Gift Orban and Victor Boniface again shone in European competitions in the past week, Nathan Tella scored his first Bundesliga goal to celebrate his maiden Super Eagles invite and Paul Onuachu’s scorpion-kick goal has got everyone talking.
#Nigeria’s Gift Orban 🇳🇬
— Oluwashina Okeleji (@oluwashina) November 12, 2023
The first player to score three goals in a Conference League game this season 🪄pic.twitter.com/nxfMI1lnV2
5.Chukwubuikem Ikwuemesi
The former Flying Eagles Class of 2021 fired his first Serie A goal for Salernitana since his transfer in the summer from Slovenia. However, home team Sassuolo fought back to draw 2-2 and deny his club their first victory of the season. Salernitana remain rock bottom of the Serie A table and will need goals from their new striker to fight their way from the relegation zone.
4.Paul Onuachu
The giant striker netted his sixth goal to keep Trabzonspor among the front runners in the Turkish Super Lig. His second goal in a home win over Konyaspor got the football world buzzing – it was an acrobatic scorpion-kick goal that many including his coach picked for the Puskas Goal of the Year Award. What is clear is that Onuachu has banished his nightmarish five months at Southampton in England, where he failed to score or even provide an assist as they were relegated from the Premier League.
3.Nathan Tella
The dashing winger could not have chosen a better time to score his first goal in the German Bundesliga as Bayer Leverkusen romped to a comfortable 4-0 home win against Union Berlin. It was a top-class finish as he let fly inside the box off a quick counter attack. Tella’s self-belief will be high up as he fights to make his Super Eagles debut against Lesotho and Zimbabwe in 2026 World Cup qualifiers beginning from Thursday. Fans can count on him for goals and a truck-load of assists as he delivered such for Burnley to win promotion back to the Premier League and win the English Championship last season.
2.Victor Boniface
The striker, who will be expected to lead the Super Eagles attack in forthcoming World Cup qualifiers in the absence of Victor Osimhen, kept his nerves in stoppage time to snatch the match winner for Bayer Leverkusen to beat hosts Qarabag 2-1 in the UEFA Europa League. He has now scored three goals in the tournament this season. Leverkusen consolidated leadership of their group and their Nigerian match winner will again be rewarded with a third straight Bundesliga Rookie of the Year Award.
1.Gift Orban
The striker grabbed his second UEFA Europa Conference League hat-trick for Gent to win under very tough conditions in Iceland. He was deservedly named the Conference League Player of the Week and he is joint leading scorer of the competition with four goals. But the 21-year-old striker must steer clear of controversies as it appears his attitude has continued to stretch the patience of his club and teammates alike.
