… Dessers brace powers Rangers to the Scottish Cup final
… Ejuke, Dele-Bashiru also on target
Super Falcons captain Rasheedat Ajibade led the line of Nigerian stars abroad this weekend with her Player-of-the-Match performance, just as the men also made their presence felt, ABIODUN ADEWALE writes
SUNDAY
ENGLAND
OLA AINA (FOREST)
Aina was involved in 90 minutes of action for Nottingham Forest on Sunday, but the defender couldn’t help them avoid a 2-0 defeat to Everton at Goodison Park.
It was the fifth consecutive appearance for the Nigeria left-back, and they have won once in those games.
The defeat further puts them at risk of relegation, as they sit 17th in the table with 26 points from 34, one point above safety.
His compatriot, Taiwo Awoniyi, who spearheaded their relegation fight last season, is still missing in action, this time due to a muscle injury.
IWOBI, BASSEY (FULHAM)
Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey were in action for Fulham, but the duo could not prevent the Cottagers from slumping to a 3-1 loss to title contenders Liverpool at Craven Cottage.
While Bassey completed the game, Iwobi played for the first 85 minutes.
GERMANY
BONIFACE, TELLA (BAYER LEVERKUSEN)
Nathan Tella was named in the starting lineup, while Victor Boniface started from the bench to inspire German Champions Bayer Leverkusen, who extended their unbeaten run to 45 games in all competitions following a 1-1 draw at Borussia Dortmund.
It all looked gloomy for Xabi Alonso’s men when Niclas Fullkrug put Dortmund up in the 81st minute, but a late goal from Josip Stanisic ensured the champions stayed unbeaten.
A VAR review also ensured Boniface was not sent off in the game after he came on in the 85th minute.
FRANCE
AKOR ADAMS (MONTPELLIER)
The goal drought continued for former U-20 striker Adams, who has now failed to score in 19 league games for Montpellier since he scored his sixth and seventh goal of the season in their 3-0 win over Toulouse last October. He played 85 minutes in their 2-1 win at Reims on Sunday.
ITALY
DAVID OKEREKE (TORINO)
After playing eight games since his return to the Serie A with Torino in January, David Okereke is yet to find the back of the net for the Turin side. He played 67 minutes in their goalless home draw against Frosinone on Sunday.
SPAIN
RASHEEDAT AJIBADE (ATLETICO)
Fresh from winning her club’s Player of the Month award for March, Super Falcons captain Ajibade is gradually easing into the mood for the women’s football event of the Paris 2024 Olympics, as she delivered a woman-of-the-match performance with a goal and an assist to power Atletico Madrid Women to a crushing 5-1 win over Real Betis Balompie.
Ajibade scored one and assisted another to guide La Rojiblancas to their 13th win in 24 Primera División Femenina games this season. She created the goal that broke the deadlock in the 25th minute when she crossed for Ludmila da Silva to turn home for the home team.
The Super Falcons midfielder turned from provider to finisher seven minutes later with a curling left-footed shot after dribbling past her marker.
Banini, Sheila Guijarro, and Lucía Moral scored the other goals for Atletico Women.
Ajibade’s stunning performance comes a few hours after being named Atletico Madrid’s March Player of the Month.
It is the second consecutive month that Ajibade will be named the club’s best player, as the 24-year-old also picked up the POTM award for February.
She is Atletico Madrid’s joint second-highest goalscorer with six goals. She also has five assists and eleven goal contributions in 24 league games this term.
TONI PAYNE (SEVILLA)
Super Falcons midfielder Payne continued to impress for Sevilla with another assist in their 2-1 away win at Villareal. After the home team had taken the lead in the 48th minute, Payne assisted midfielder Inma Gabarro as Sevilla responded just two minutes later, while Rosa Otermin Abella scored the winner in the 73rd minute.
UMAR SADIQ (REAL SOCIEDAD)
After being benched for two consecutive games, Sadiq was brought on for the last 23 minutes of Real Sociedad’s 1-1 draw at Getafe on Sunday. The striker has made 26 appearances this season, scoring three goals and one assist.
BELGIUM
YUSUF, EJUKE (ANTWERP)
Super Eagles winger Chidera Ejuke scored the only goal as reigning champions Antwerp got their first win after four matches in the Belgium Jupiler Pro League Championship Group on Sunday.
The dazzling winger scored in the 66th minute of the encounter to take his tally this season to four. He also has four assists.
His compatriot, Alhassan Yusuf, played for 88 minutes to secure the win for Antwerp, who are at the at the bottom of the title playoff table.
SCOTLAND
DESSERS, BALOGUN (RANGERS)
Cyriel Dessers bagged a brace for Rangers on Sunday as the Scottish giants beat Hearts 2-0 at Hampden Park, advanced to the Scottish Cup final, and kept their hopes of a domestic treble alive.
He got the first goal inside five minutes and added the second late on in the second half.
They will face Celtic, who beat Aberdeen 6-5 on penalties in an Old Firm Derby final on May 25.
TURKEY
OLAWOYIN, AKINTOLA (CAYKUR RIZESPOR)
Rizespor’s charge for a European spot in the Turkish Super Lig suffered a setback on Sunday as they were handed a 2-0 defeat by Istanbul Basaksehir.
Olawoyin, who has six goals and two assists this season, played the entire match, while David Akintola played 88 minutes, but the duo could not help Rizespor avoid their first defeat in the last four matches.
FISAYO DELE-BASHIRU (HATAYASPOR)
Midfielder Dele-Bashiru scored his sixth league goal of the season in Hatayaspor’s 2-1 defeat against Antalyaspor on Sunday.
He opened the scoring in the 26th minute of the game, but the hosts responded with two goals in the second half to win the game.
KENNETH OMERUO (KASMIMPASA)
Omeruo started in the heart of defence but couldn’t prevent Kasmipasa from conceding at Gaziantep, losing 2-0.
CYPRUS
UZOHO (OMONIA)
Super Eagles goalkeeper Uzoho kept his place between the sticks for Omonia in their Cyprus title playoffs game against AEK Larnaca. He could not keep a clean sheet this time around, as they were beaten 2-0.
USA
ASISAT OSHOALA (BAY FC)
Since scoring in their first-ever game in the NWSL, Oshoala has yet to score another goal for Bay FC, and the newcomers have now suffered their third loss in five games, beaten 5-2 by Kansas City.
MICHELLE ALOZIE (HOUSTON DASH)
Playing in a more advanced role as a full-back, Alozie and Houston Dash also crumbled to a 4-1 defeat against the Portland Thorns.
SATURDAY
ENGLAND
OSHO, ONYEDINMA (LUTON)
In the Premier League, Gabriel Osho returned from injury to feature for Luton Town FC in their disappointing 5-1 home defeat to Brentford.
Fred Onyedinma came on as a second-half substitute for Luton.
DENNIS, DELE-BASHIRU (WATFORD)
In the Championship, Emmanuel Dennis and Tom Dele-Bashiru featured for Watford in their goalless draw against Hull City.
NDIDI, IHEANACHO (LEICESTER)
Wilfred Ndidi opened the scoring for Leicester City FC as the Foxes secured a 2-1 win over West Bromwich Albion FC, reclaiming the top spot in the Championship table.
JOE ARIBO (SOUTHAMPTON)
Aribo found the net for Southampton FC, but Cardiff City FC rallied to claim an impressive 2-1 win.
ITALY
VICTOR OSIMHEN (NAPOLI)
Osimhen and Napoli suffered a 1-0 defeat against Empoli.
OKOYE, SUCCESS (UDINESE)
Goalkeeper Maduka Okoye impressed for the Udinese despite conceding in their narrow 1-0 loss to Verona.
JENNIFER ECHEGINI (JUVENTUS WOMEN)
In the Italian Serie A Women, Echegini could not add to her eight goals so far this season in Juventus’ 2-1 win over Sassuolo.
BELGIUM
TOLU AROKODARE (GENK)
In Belgium First Division A, Arokodare scored his third goal in his last four games to propel KRC Genk to a hard-fought 2-1 win over RSC Anderlecht. They are keeping up their pace in the title playoffs by staying third behind Anderlecht and Royal SG.
JORDAN TORUNARIGHA (GENT)
Elsewhere, Jordan Torunarigha anchored the defence for KAA Gent, guiding them to a commendable 3-1 win against KV Mechelen.
PORTUGAL
AWAZIEM, ONYEMAECHI (BOAVISTA)
Chidozie Awaziem assisted Boavista FC’s equaliser in stoppage time during their 1-1 draw against Club Foot Estrela in the Primeira Liga.
Bruno Onyemaechi also impressed for Boavista, playing the entire match.
SPAIN
MONDAY, BABAJIDE (TENERIFE)
In the Primera División Femenina, Super Falcons stars Rinsola Babajide and Gift Monday were on the losing side as Granada overcame UD Tenerife in a match that ended 2-1.
USA
UCHENNA KANU (RACING LOUISVILLE)
Uchenna Kanu was decisive as Racing Louisville claimed their first NWSL win of the season after registering a 5-1 victory against the Utah Royals. Racing Louisville had drawn each of their first four league games before facing the visitors from Utah late on Saturday evening inside the Lynn Family Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky.
But it was time for a change, as Kanu got the opener in the 26th minute before a flurry of second-half goals sealed the three points for the home team.
