Super Eagles weekend review – Osimhen and Ajayi shine, but 6 stars struggle

Super Eagles stars produced a weekend of sharp contrasts across Europe from August 21 to 23, 2026, Afrik-Foot reports.

Some of the country’s leading stars delivered goals, assists and Man of the Match performances, while others struggled to make an impact as their teams suffered defeats or disappointing draws.

Victor Osimhen led the way with another outstanding display for Galatasaray, while Semi Ajayi, Chidera Ejuke and Samuel Chukwueze also made major contributions for their clubs. Nathan Tella and Kelechi Iheanacho added important goals, while Raphael Onyedika and Ola Aina impressed in different ways.

The weekend also produced a major landmark for Brighton’s Zadok Yohanna, who made his Premier League debut at the age of 19.

It was not all positive, however. Frank Onyeka and Taiwo Awoniyi endured a difficult afternoon against Arsenal, while Akor Adams, Paul Onuachu, Umar Sadiq and Ademola Lookman all struggled to influence their respective matches.

Here is how the Nigerian players performed, starting with the weekend’s outstanding performers.

Super Eagles’ top performers

Victor Osimhen – Galatasaray

Victor Osimhen was the standout Nigerian performer of the weekend and arguably the most influential Super Eagles player anywhere in Europe.

The Galatasaray striker produced two goals and an assist as his team destroyed Erzurumspor 4-0 away from home on Friday.

After Roland Sallai opened the scoring, Osimhen turned provider in the 20th minute. He set up Yunus Akgün to double Galatasaray’s advantage and leave Erzurumspor struggling to contain the visitors.

Osimhen then scored just before half-time. Erzurumspor goalkeeper Matija Orbanic made a costly error while trying to control a routine backpass near the edge of the penalty area. Osimhen reacted immediately, stole the ball and rolled it into an empty net.

He completed his brace in the 80th minute. Gabriel Sara delivered a precise cross into the box and Osimhen was in the right position to finish from close range. The performance took Osimhen to four league goals and one assist in only two matches this season.

It also extended an extraordinary scoring and creative streak. He has now directly contributed to a goal in 14 consecutive league matches. There was also a major club milestone. Osimhen has reached 63 goals for Galatasaray, moving into third place among the club’s all-time foreign goalscorers.

Chidera Ejuke – Sevilla

Anderlecht-linked Chidera Ejuke delivered one of the most memorable moments of the weekend for a Nigerian player. The Sevilla winger came off the bench early in the second half against Athletic Bilbao and needed only a few minutes to make his mark. In the 50th minute, he produced a superb finish by chipping Spain’s World Cup-winning goalkeeper Unai Simón.

The goal helped Sevilla secure a convincing 3-1 away victory. Ejuke’s finish was not only technically impressive but also showed the confidence and composure needed to beat an experienced goalkeeper from such a difficult position.

Nathan Tella – Bayer Leverkusen

Nathan Tella needed only four minutes to make an impact after coming off the bench for Bayer Leverkusen in their DFB-Pokal first-round match against Wehen Wiesbaden.

Introduced in the 65th minute, Tella timed his run perfectly and met a cross to score Leverkusen’s third goal in a 4-0 win. It was an efficient display from the Super Eagles forward. He did not need much time on the pitch to make a clear contribution and helped Leverkusen complete a comfortable cup victory.

Kelechi Iheanacho – Bursaspor

Kelechi Iheanacho continued his encouraging start to life at Bursaspor with another goal. The Nigerian international scored in the 86th minute against Fatih Karagümrük after the goal was confirmed by VAR. His late effort gave Bursaspor hope of rescuing the match, although they eventually lost 2-1.

The result was disappointing, but Iheanacho’s ability to find the net again is an encouraging sign. His late goal showed that he continues to pose a threat even when his team is struggling.

Semi Ajayi – Hull City

Semi Ajayi produced a historic performance for Hull City as they stunned Manchester United 2-0. The Super Eagles defender opened the scoring in the 17th minute, reacting quickest to a loose rebound inside the box. His goal was particularly significant because it was Hull’s first Premier League goal in nine years.

Ajayi was later named Man of the Match despite being substituted in the 64th minute. Hull kept a clean sheet after his departure and completed an impressive victory over United. For a defender, scoring the opening goal in such an important victory while helping his side establish control was a standout performance.

Samuel Chukwueze – AC Milan

Samuel Chukwueze showed impressive adaptability in AC Milan’s Serie A opener. Playing in an unfamiliar right wing-back role under new coach Ruben Amorim, the Nigerian produced an excellent performance in Milan’s 2-1 win over Torino.

Chukwueze created a game-high four chances and supplied the assist for Adrien Rabiot’s winning goal. His work in an unfamiliar position made the display even more encouraging.

He was also named Man of the Match, showing how effective he was despite not playing in his usual attacking role.

Ryan Alebiosu – Blackburn Rovers

Ryan Alebiosu continued his good run of form during Blackburn Rovers’ 2-1 victory over Middlesbrough. The full-back played with the freedom of an extra winger and repeatedly pushed forward from his position. He came close to scoring but was denied by an outstretched save.

More importantly, his progressive runs helped Blackburn build the attack that produced their winning goal. Alebiosu’s attacking contribution continues to add another dimension to his game and will be encouraging for both club and country.

Raphael Onyedika – Eintracht Frankfurt

Raphael Onyedika enjoyed a dream competitive debut for Eintracht Frankfurt. The Nigerian midfielder played the full 90 minutes as Frankfurt produced one of the most remarkable results of the DFB-Pokal weekend, crushing SC St. Tönis 11-0.

Onyedika controlled the midfield throughout the match and played an important role in a dominant team performance. Although the opposition offered little resistance, the debut gave him valuable competitive minutes and a strong start to his time at the German club.

Ola Aina – Nottingham Forest

Ola Aina was one of Nottingham Forest’s more dangerous players despite their narrow 1-0 defeat to Leeds United in Oliver Glasner’s first official match in charge.

Operating as a wing-back, Aina created three chances, the joint-most in the match, and completed a game-high three dribbles. He remained an attacking outlet even though Forest struggled to find a way back into the game.

Aina also survived a tense moment in the 18th minute. His lunging tackle was reviewed by VAR, but the decision was that the challenge did not deserve a red card. He was instead shown a yellow card. His individual performance offered some positives despite the disappointing result.

Zadok Yohanna – Brighton

Zadok Yohanna reached a major milestone by making his competitive Premier League debut for Brighton. The 19-year-old came on for the final 13 minutes of Brighton’s emphatic 4-0 victory over Aston Villa. Although he had limited time to influence the match, he completed all six of his passes.

A 100 per cent passing record in his first Premier League appearance is a positive start. More importantly, Yohanna has now taken another step in his development by making his debut at the highest level of English football.

The Strugglers

Frank Onyeka – Coventry City

Frank Onyeka endured a difficult return to the Premier League with newly promoted Coventry City. Coventry suffered a 3-0 defeat away to reigning champions Arsenal, who controlled possession and the tempo for most of the match.

Onyeka had entered the game with doubts over his fitness after suffering a knock during pre-season. Despite those concerns, he was asked to play the full 90 minutes.

The midfielder faced a huge physical workload but had little opportunity to influence the match. Arsenal’s dominance meant Coventry’s midfield spent much of the game chasing the ball, leaving Onyeka with a difficult task. His commitment was clear, but the match offered few opportunities for him to show his strengths.

Taiwo Awoniyi – Coventry City

Taiwo Awoniyi’s Coventry debut was also a frustrating experience. The striker had only completed his £9 million transfer from Nottingham Forest days earlier but was immediately thrown into a difficult away match against Arsenal.

He started on the bench and entered the game in the 69th minute, replacing Ellis Simms. By then, Coventry were already 3-0 down. Awoniyi had very little service during his 21 minutes on the pitch. Coventry had struggled to get into dangerous areas and had taken almost an hour to record their first touch inside Arsenal’s penalty area.

That left Awoniyi isolated for much of his debut. There was little he could do to change the game without regular possession or quality deliveries from his teammates.

Akor Adams – Venezia

Akor Adams experienced a sharp contrast to his first competitive match. The Venezia striker had scored twice on his Coppa Italia debut last week, raising expectations ahead of his first Serie A appearance.

However, the league debut did not go as planned. Venezia lost 2-0 at home to Lecce, with Adams unable to provide the attacking threat he had shown in the cup.

He played the full 90 minutes as the main striker in a 3-5-2 system and registered three shots. None of them was on target. His passing was also not as effective as he would have wanted, with 12 successful passes from 15 attempts. After his impressive cup debut, Adams will now look to respond quickly and show that his scoring touch has not disappeared.

Paul Onuachu – Trabzonspor

Paul Onuachu was unable to find the net despite Trabzonspor securing a 2-1 victory over İstanbul Başakşehir. The Super Eagles striker started the game but struggled to influence the attack. He had three shots and failed to put any of them on target before being substituted late in the match.

Onuachu was also overshadowed by Trabzonspor’s major summer signing Mohamed Salah, who scored both goals in the victory. That makes the slow start more noticeable for Onuachu, especially after he won the Turkish league Golden Boot last season. Trabzonspor are winning games, but Onuachu will want to get back among the goals soon.

Umar Sadiq – Valencia

Umar Sadiq’s difficult battle for form and regular playing time continued during Valencia’s 0-0 draw with Celta Vigo. The Nigerian forward was still recovering from a recent hamstring injury and was therefore not selected in the starting XI.

He came on in the 57th minute for Ryunosuke Sato and spent 33 minutes trying to help Valencia find a winning goal. However, Sadiq could not produce a decisive moment. Valencia also struggled creatively and finished the match with a low team expected goals figure of just 0.58.

The draw means Sadiq will have to wait longer for a strong return to regular first-team involvement and goals.

Ademola Lookman – Atlético Madrid

Ademola Lookman endured perhaps his quietest performance since his move to Atlético Madrid. The Nigerian started as the centre-forward against Villarreal but was unable to make the attacking impact expected of him as Atlético were held to a 2-2 draw.

Lookman played 79 minutes but failed to register a shot or complete a dribble. He also managed only nine accurate passes before being substituted. Villarreal’s defensive shape made it difficult for him to find space, and the Nigerian struggled to influence the game from the wide position.

The result will raise questions about how quickly Lookman can adapt to Atlético’s demands and find the freedom that allowed him to thrive at Atalanta. For a player known for his ability to carry the ball, beat defenders and create danger, the lack of a shot or completed dribble was a clear sign that he was unable to impose himself on the contest.