Mikel Obi played for the entire match as Chelsea defeated Liverpool 2-0 at Anfield on Sunday. It was the star match of the week across the world and the biggest Nigerian export to world football was impactful in the encounter that has punctured Liverpool’s fluid run in the last seven weeks.
The midfielder has now made 10 starts for the club in the Premier League since the return of Jose Mourinho. It was also a consecutive start for Mikel as he also featured fully in the UEFA Champions League game against Atletico Madrid last Tuesday. His current run with the Stamford Bridge team is a plus for Nigeria’s build up to the 2014 World Cup kicking off in Brazil on June 12.
Another Super Eagles World Cup hopeful, Ogenyi Onazi was on for 71 minutes as Lazio beat Livorno 2-0 on Sunday away from home. The midfielder has featured for the club in the Serie A this season. He was replaced by Alvaro Gonzalez.
Nigeria defender Elderson Echiejile was an unused substitute on Saturday as Monaco beat Ajaccio 4-1 away from home. The defender has only made one league appearance for Monaco since his January move to the French league giants from Sporting Braga. He adds up to several Nigerian players on the bench as the World Cup draws nearer.
Ahmed Musa was not listed in CSKA Moscow’s 2-1 home win over Rubin Kazan on Saturday. The Eagles’ forward scored the club’s winner in the 1-0 win over URAL two weeks ago.
Sunday Mba was also on for the entire duration of his club’s match as they lost 1-0 away to Metz in the French league two. CA Bastia is deep in the relegation waters as they sit twentieth in the table with 22 points from 34 matches.
Nosa Igiebor’s Real Betis was relegated on Saturday when they lost 1-0 to Real Sociedad. The club has only 22 points from 35 matches this season. They are also 10 points below Real Valladolid in the 19th place. The midfielder, who is recovering from an injury that had kept him out of action for most of the season, has made only 11 appearances for the club this season.
In Italy, Chievo Verona lost 2-1 away at Sampdoria on Sunday. Obinna Nsofor played for 67 minutes.
Taiye Taiwo played for 78 minutes in Bursaspor’s 1-0 away loss at Genclerbirligi on Saturday.
Ramon Azeez played for only 55 minutes on Saturday in Almeria’s 2-1 away win over Espanyol in the Spanish La Liga. The Nigerian was replaced by Jesus Lopez, who scored the winner for the club in the 72nd minute. The win did little to ease their relegation worries as they have only 33 points from 35 matches.
In the Italian Serie B, Nnamdi Oduamadi was not listed as Varese lost 1-0 at home to Virtus Lanciano.
Juwon Oshaniwa has been unlisted for Israeli club, Ashdod FC, for three matches now. The left back was however an unused substitute in the club’s 1-1 draw.
Two uncapped Nigerian forwards, Bello Yero and Anthony Nwakaeme scored the goals as their clubs, Ashdod FC and Hapoel Ra’anana played 1-1 on Saturday in the Israeli Premier League.
