Victor Osimhen made his return from injury, but Paul Onuachu and Gift Monday were the best Nigerian players over the weekend.
Super Eagles and Super Falcons players were once again in action for their clubs over the weekend, but it was a mixed performance from them.
Osimhen returns, but Onuachu steals spotlight
Starting in Turkey, Super Eagles star Victor Osimhen returned to action in Galatasaray’s 1-0 win at Alanyaspor on Friday evening.
Osimhen, who had not played a football game since he went off injured in Nigeria’s 1-0 win over Rwanda at the beginning of this month, came on for Barış Alper Yılmaz in the 85th minute of the encounter.
Captain Mauro Icardi scored the only goal of the game as Galatasaray maintained their unbeaten league start to the season.
Still in Turkey, Ibrahim Olawoyin was also in action, but he was unable to help Rizespor avoid a 2-1 defeat to Kasimpasa. Olawoyin played just nine minutes in the encounter.
While Olawoyin and Osimhen struggled in front of the goal over the weekend, Onuachu did not have that problem, as he took his tally this season to five goals in seven games after scoring a brace for Trabzonspor.
The former Genk forward was on fire, as he scored a brace in Trabzonspor’s 4-3 win over Fatih Karagümrük.
Felipe Augusto opened the scoring for the Black Sea Storm, but Tiago Cukur restored parity for the home side.
Onuachu then took matters into his hands, as he scored the away side’s second and third goals before Danilo Sikan made it four.
Although Karagümrük scored two late goals to set up a nervy finish, Trabzonspor held on for the win. Meanwhile, in Greece, Cyriel Dessers was missing as Panathinaikos defeated Panetolikos 2-1.
Gift Monday makes NWSL history
In France, Super Eagles star Terem Moffi and Moses Simon faced each other as Nice hosted Paris FC. Moffi, who scored in Nice’s 2-1 loss to Roma last Thursday, played 75 minutes of the encounter.
Nice opened the scoring through Sofiane Diop, but Paris FC restored parity through Jean-Philippe Krasso’s penalty two minutes from time.
Simon played almost all the 90 minutes for Paris FC, as he was taken off in the first minute of added time.
In England, Alex Iwobi, Samuel Chukwueze and Calvin Bassey all featured for Fulham, but the Cottagers were beaten 3-1 by Aston Villa at Villa Park.
Iwobi was in action for 66 minutes, while Bassey played for the entire duration. Chukwueze, meanwhile, was a late substitute, as Ollie Watkins, John McGinn and Emiliano Buendía scored to give Villa their first league win of the season after Raul Jimenez had given Fulham the lead.
Still in England, Taiwo Awoniyi did not feature as Nottingham Forest lost at home to Sunderland on Saturday afternoon.
In Italy, Ademola Lookman was an unused substitute as Atalanta played a 1-1 draw against Juventus on Saturday.
Meanwhile, at Stadio Olimpico, Gift Orban came close many times, but could not help Hellas Verona avoid defeat against AS Roma.
In another game, Ebenezer Akinsanmiro was the man of the match as Pisa played a goalless draw against Fiorentina.
In Germany, Victor Boniface came off the bench, but his Werder Bremen side were on the receiving end of a 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Bayern Munich.
Meanwhile, Nathan Tella did not feature as Bayer Leverkusen beat St. Pauli 2-1 in their Bundesliga clash.
Finally, on the women’s side, Gift Monday made history in the NWSL as she scored the fastest hat-trick in the league’s history to help The Washington Spirit secure a 4-0 win over Houston Dash.
Monday opened the scoring in the 18th minute before doubling her tally in the 21st minute. The Super Falcons star completed her hat-trick in the 36th minute before Cantore sealed a comfortable win for the Spirit with a fourth goal.