SCORENigeria Top 5: Will Awoniyi’s red-hot form be good enough for Super Eagles call-up?
Taiwo Awoniyi is the most on-form Nigeria striker in Europe’s major league with four goals in all competitions thus far.
But is this coming a little too late for him to be picked by Gernot Rohr for next month’s 2022 World Cup qualifiers against Liberia and Cape Verde?
5.Samuel Adegbenro
The experienced winger has turned his career around following his transfer from Norway to Sweden. He is now the leading scorer in the Swedish Allsvenskan with nine goals after he grabbed the consolation goal in a 2-1 loss at Halmstad. Last season, he was surplus to requirement at Norwegian club Rosenborg and even a transfer to Turkey collapsed over personal terms.
4.Joe Aribo
The versatile midfielder has hit the ground running with his first goal of the season for champions Rangers to record their second win in the league at Ross County. It was a left-footed curler from just inside the box. This also bodes well for his expected return to the Super Eagles, where he was an instant hit before he was sidelined by injuries.
3.Yusuf Lawal
The former Lokeren winger is making the most of his challenge at Azerbaijan with Neftci PFK. He was Man of the Match with two goals and an assist in a 3-3 draw with Israel’s Maccabi Haifa in a UEFA Conference League playoff. Last season, he helped his club win the Azerbaijani league. He could still head back to mainstream Europe after his time in Belgium ended with the bankruptcy of Lokeren.
2.Chidera Ejuke
The former Heerenveen star continues to justify his big-money transfer to CSKA Moscow with his second goal of the season in Russia at the weekend. His Russian club will be aiming for the top after their title challenge faltered in the closing weeks of last season.
1.Taiwo Awoniyi
He was the most outstanding Nigeria star overseas of the past week. On Thursday, the former Liverpool striker followed up on his goal on the opening day of the season in the Bundesliga with a brace in a UEFA Conference League playoff clash at KuPS in Finland. And three days later he delivered the goal for Union Berlin to get a draw at Hoffenheim. A lot is expected of the former Flying Eagles star after he finally got the permanent transfer he craved for following several loan spells from Liverpool. Has he done enough to sway Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr to take a chance on him for the World Cup qualifiers against Liberia and Cape Verde early next month?
