GOAL RUSH: 7 Nigerians Score In Europe; Emenike’s Fenerbahce Hold Besiktas

Nigerian striker Taiwo Awoniyi was the hero for his relegation-threatened team NEC Nijmegen who defeated AZ Alkmaar 2-1 in the Dutch Eredivisie on Sunday.

Another Nigerian forward Fred Friday was in action for Alkmaar and played for 90 minutes.

Awoniyi, who was brought on in the 83rd minute, scored the winning goal on 88 minutes to give his team the victory.

It was Awoniyi’s first goal in 17 appearances for Nijmegen since joining the Dutch team on loan from Liverpool.

The win leaves Nijmegen in 17th (relegation play-offs spot) position on 31 points in the 18-team league, two points away from safety.

In another Dutch top flight game, Abduljeleel Ajagun scored the only goal as his team Roda JC pipped visiting Willem ll 1-0.

Ajagun scored the goal in the 90th minute to take his team to 15th in the league table.

It was Ajagun’s fifth goal in 30 league appearances for Roda JC in this campaign.

In the Danish top flight, Nigerian duo Paul Onuachu and Rilwan Hassan were both on target for Midtjylland in their 4-2 home win against Brondby.

Onuachu opened the scoring on 36 minutes before Hassan doubled the lead on 55 minutes.

The goal was Onuachu’s 14th in 31 appearances in the top flight, while Hassan’s goal was his third after 31 league games.

In the Turkish Super League, Nosa Igiebor and Bright Edomwonyi scored in Rizespor’s 6-0 whitewash of Bursaspor.

Edomwonyi scored on 81 minutes, his first goal in 12 league outings, to make it 5-0, while Igiebor rounded off the rout by netting the sixth goal in the 90th minute.

The goal was also Igiebor’s first after 10 games.

Also in Turkey, Emmanuel Emenike played a key role as Fenerbahce drew 1-1 at league leaders Besiktas. Cameroun’s Vincent Aboubakar scored the opening goal for Besiktas in the 45th minute, but a 90th minute own goal by Marcelo meant the points were shared in one of Europe’s biggest derbies.

Emenike, who had been out of favour lately, came on for ex-Manchester United star Robin van Persie and sparked Fenerbahce’s revival.

In the Belgian Europa League play-offs, Group B, Henry Onyekuru got on the score sheet but it was enough as Eupen lost 2-1 away to Genk.

Onyekuru scored on 76 minutes to reduce the deficit after his team had gone 2-0 down.

Onyekuru has now scored 12 goals in 28 league games for Eupen.

Eupen are fifth in the six-team Group B Europa League play-offs.

~Complete Sports