From Amsterdam to Manchester, Paris to Valencia, it was a night where green and white flashed in foreign stadiums. Some danced in victory. Others walked off with bruises and lessons. All of them dared.
NETHERLANDS: Arokodare announces himself
At Ajax, Tolu Arokodare is already sounding like a chant. Brought on as Ajax led Telstar 2-0 in Velsen-Zuid, the big striker needed just minutes to make the net bulge again.
Steven Berghuis threaded the move in the 60th minute, and Arokodare did what he’s been doing since he landed in Amsterdam: he finished it. 3-0.
It was his first Eredivisie goal, and his fourth in six appearances for Ajax. Two assists too. Davy Klaassen and Berghuis had done the early damage, and Marcos Leonardo added gloss late. But the story leaving the ground was the Nigerian who can’t stop scoring.
ENGLAND: Goals and gut checks
In the Premier League, the picture split in two.
At Craven Cottage, Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey ran themselves into the ground for 90 minutes. It wasn’t enough. Wilson Isidor’s 75th minute strike gave Sunderland a 1-0 win and their first three points of the season. Fulham boss Alvaro Arbeloa didn’t mince words after, calling out attitude, commitment and desire.
Forty miles north, Chuba Akpom wrote a different script. Twelve years after his Premier League debut for Arsenal, the Ipswich forward came off the bench at Old Trafford and scored. His first league goal for the Tractor Boys. It was a consolation in a 5-2 loss to Manchester United, with Bruno Fernandes bagging a hat-trick, but for Akpom it was a circle closed.
FRANCE: Joy and a knock
Paris FC celebrated Liam Rosenior’s first Ligue 1 win, a comfortable 3-0 over Nice at Stade Jean-Bouin. Moses Simon played 63 minutes on the wing, helping pin Nice back as goals from Lassine Sinayoko, Samir Chergui and Vincent Marchetti did the rest.
In Monaco, it was tougher. Young midfielder Tochukwu Nnadi came on at half-time for Marseille, only to limp off himself in the 74th minute. Marseille fell 2-0, and now wait on news of Nnadi’s knock.
SPAIN: Sadiq strikes in defeat
Umar Sadiq finally got off the mark for Valencia. He pounced on a defensive slip to pull one back against Deportivo La Coruña after César Tárrega’s own goal and a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang finish had put the hosts 2-0 up. Bil Nsongo’s deflected strike restored Deportivo’s lead for a 3-1 win, and their first LaLiga victory. One goal for Sadiq. Zero points for Valencia.
SCOTLAND: Clean sheet and cautions
At Ibrox, Emmanuel Fernandez went the distance as Rangers beat Aberdeen 1-0. Lawrence Shankland’s 69th minute penalty, won by Djeidi Gassama, gave Rangers their first league win and Fernandez a sixth appearance of the season with another clean sheet.
For Aberdeen, it was frustration. Aremu and Olusanya both featured and both picked up yellow cards. One win from three now for the Dons.
From first goals to first wins, from injuries to fightbacks, Nigerian players didn’t just show up abroad this weekend. They dared.
