Super Eagles forward Moses Simon marked his return from injury by featuring for Nantes in their 2-2 Ligue 1 draw against Monaco on Friday.
The 29-year-old had been out of action for about a month following the removal of a screw and plate from his ankle.
Simon’s absence since mid-December saw him miss one Ligue 1 match and a French Cup fixture.
This setback came after he returned to action in August, having recovered from a fractured fibula that prematurely ended his 2023/24 season.
The Nigeria international rejoined the Nantes squad earlier in the week and was immediately thrust into the starting line-up by coach Antoine Kombouaré. He played the full 90 minutes and could have scored towards the end of the game, but his effort came off the crossbar.
With the result, Nantes are now 14th on the Ligue 1 table with 16 points from 17 games.
This season, Simon has four goals and five assists from 14 games.
Moses Simon’s performance vs. Monaco
Starting after passing a fitness test, Simon played the entire game but couldn’t score or assist.
He registered 42 touches, made two key passes, and completed 12 of his 17 attempted passes, achieving a 71% success rate.
Simon delivered five crosses, with two finding their target, and completed one of his two long balls.
Offensively, he had one shot on target, one off target, and one blocked.
In duels, the Nigeria winger won three of his eight ground battles but failed to win any of his two aerial contests.
While Simon didn’t register a direct goal contribution, his performance showed glimpses of his quality, and his return is a boost for Nantes as they look to climb the Ligue 1 standings.
