Nigerians abroad: Awaziem’s brace leads a weekend of goals

Super Eagles defender Chidozie Awaziem scored twice in Konyaspor’s 2-0 win over Gençlerbirliği, one of six Nigerian goalscoring performances in Turkey, Russia, Italy and Denmark over the weekend.

Awaziem opened the scoring shortly before half-time and added a second early in the second half, as reported in Premium Times’ weekend roundup on 26 October.

Turkey: Iheanacho extends his run, Orban levels from the spot

Kelechi Iheanacho scored in Bursaspor’s 4-2 win over Keçiörengücü, his 12th league game in a row with a goal. He has 16 goals and three assists in 12 appearances, and the win took Bursaspor to the top of the table. Soccernet covered his Turkish scoring record when the run stood at 10.

Super Eagles forward Gift Orban scored a 73rd-minute penalty to level Amedspor’s game with Samsunspor at 1-1. Dia Saba then scored the winner in the 84th minute for a 2-1 win, and Orban has eight league goals this season.

Russia, Italy and Denmark

Olakunle Olusegun scored his first league goal of the season for Rostov in a 2-0 win over Lokomotiv Moscow, doubling the lead in the 24th minute from an Oumar Sako assist.

David Okereke scored once and set up two more in Benevento’s 3-0 Serie B win over Arezzo. In Denmark, Friday Etim scored three minutes after the restart in Midtjylland’s 3-2 win over Lyngby, taking him to six league goals and three assists, and 18-year-old midfielder Joseph Okuaghare made his senior debut from the bench.

Analysis: Turkey is where Chelle’s attackers are scoring

Three of the weekend’s scorers, Iheanacho, Awaziem and Orban, play in Turkey. That matters with the Tanzania qualifiers on 13 and 17 November and Nigeria three points behind Guinea-Bissau in the AFCON 2027 group.

Form does not pick the squad on its own, but a brace for a defender and a run of 12 league games with a goal for a striker are the kind of numbers coaches are asked about. Chelle’s squad list for Tanzania will show how much weight he gives them.