Rangers’ Nigerian duo, Cyriel Dessers and Leon Balogun, missed out on winning the Scottish League Cup after losing to fierce rivals Celtic in a thrilling final on Sunday. Despite their efforts, the Rangers fell short, losing 5-4 on penalties after a 3-3 draw in extra time. Balogun received a caution and was substituted in the second half, while Dessers started from the bench.
Elsewhere in Europe, Nigerian players delivered mixed performances across various leagues, showcasing resilience and impact on their respective teams.
England
At Southampton, Paul Onuachu and Joe Aribo continued to provide steady contributions for their side. Meanwhile, Josh Maja of West Brom endured a tough week, failing to score or assist in two consecutive matches. His team suffered a 2-1 loss to Watford, further dampening their Championship campaign.
Spain
Chrisantus Uche of Getafe played 36 minutes in a 1-0 defeat against Atletico Madrid. The forward has struggled this season, with just one goal in 17 appearances.
Scotland
Apart from the Rangers heartbreak for Dessers and Balogun, no other Nigerian players made headlines in Scotland this week.
France
Moses Simon of Nantes provided an assist in their Ligue 1 clash against Brest but couldn’t prevent a 4-1 defeat. Over at Montpellier, Akor Adams started in their 2-2 draw against Nice, although his goal drought extended to seven matches.
Czech Republic
Victor Olatunji shone for Sparta Prague, scoring the winning goal in their comeback 2-1 victory over Jablonec. This marked his sixth league goal of the season. Meanwhile, Igoh Ogbu featured in Slavia Prague’s 1-0 loss to Teplice, though his team maintains a commanding lead in the league table.
Belgium
At Genk, Tolu Arokodare missed a crucial penalty in their 2-0 loss to Club Brugge, while Raphael Onyedika impressed with a solid performance for Brugge, keeping them in contention for the title.
The Netherlands
Chuba Akpom of Ajax failed to find the net again, extending his goal drought across all competitions to 11 matches, despite featuring in their win over Almere City.
Serbia
Yusuf Bamiele of Vojvodina continued his fine form, scoring his ninth goal of the season in a 3-1 win over TSC. His consistent performance has kept his team in the championship playoff position.
Turkey
Bright Osayi-Samuel played a key role for Fenerbahce in their 1-0 victory over Basaksehir. The defender has now made nine league appearances under coach José Mourinho.
Italy
Samuel Chukwueze earned his first Serie A start since the last international break as AC Milan hosted Genoa. However, the Nigerian forward has had a quiet season so far, with only one goal in 14 appearances.