Nigerian footballers made headlines with goals, encouraging comebacks from injury, and valuable playing time across Europe on Saturday, October 10. This was the first weekend of club football after the international break.
Tolu Arokodare kept up his strong start in the Netherlands with another goal for Ajax. Terem Moffi scored his first Bundesliga goal for Hamburg SV. Chibuike Nwaiwu also found the net in Trabzonspor’s convincing win over Samsunspor.
Nathan Tella returned to Bundesliga action for Bayer Leverkusen after recovering from a back injury. However, Victor Boniface did not play in this match.
Here is how some of Nigeria’s top players performed for their clubs.
Tolu Arokodare, Ajax
Tolu Arokodare continued his great start to the Eredivisie season by scoring in Ajax’s 1-1 draw against NEC Nijmegen.
The Nigerian striker put Ajax ahead in the seventh minute, rising high to head in a chance from the penalty area. This goal marked his fourth in the league this season.
After scoring, Arokodare celebrated by holding up a shirt for his injured teammate, Danish forward Kasper Dolberg, who is out with a knee issue.
Unfortunately, Ajax could not keep their lead for long. Tjaronn Chery converted a penalty in the 19th minute, making it 1-1 for NEC.
Arokodare’s goal brings his Eredivisie total to four, along with one assist, which puts him among the top African scorers in the league.
The Nigeria international joined Ajax this summer after leaving Wolverhampton Wanderers. He has shown the finishing skills that made him popular in Belgian football.
His reputation grew while at Genk, where he was the top scorer in the Belgian Pro League for the 2024/25 season with 21 goals.
Arokodare will aim to keep up this form as he settles into Dutch football.
Terem Moffi, Hamburg SV
Terem Moffi scored his first Bundesliga goal for Hamburg SV in a thrilling 3-2 victory away against Hoffenheim.
The Super Eagles striker came on as a substitute and equalized in the 82nd minute. He met a cross from Miro Muheim with a header, bringing Hamburg back to 2-2.
Hamburg did even better, as Muheim scored again in the 94th minute to secure all three points for the away team.
Moffi’s goal was a significant milestone after injuries affected the early part of his time in Germany.
He had played briefly in Hamburg’s last league match, a 2-1 victory over FC Köln. He was recovering from an injury that kept him out of Nigeria’s AFCON qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau.
The 27-year-old hopes this goal marks the start of more consistent playing time as he fights for a spot in Polzin’s attack.
Chibuike Nwaiwu, Paul Onuachu, Trabzonspor
Chibuike Nwaiwu scored his first goal of the season in Trabzonspor’s 3-0 win over Samsunspor in the Turkish Super Lig.
The Nigerian defender scored in the 38th minute, doubling Trabzonspor’s lead during a strong first-half showing at Samsun 19 Mayıs Stadyumu.
Ernest Muçi opened the scoring in the 28th minute. Ten minutes later, the Samsunspor goalkeeper Okan Kocuk failed to handle Muçi’s shot, allowing Nwaiwu to find the back of the net.
Franculino Djú added Trabzonspor’s third goal in the 40th minute, finishing a dominant first-half display.
For Nwaiwu, scoring was a welcome contribution from a defender known for his defensive skills.
This result also helped him avoid receiving another yellow card, which would have meant a suspension for their next match against Beşiktaş on October 19.
Nwaiwu was part of Nigeria’s squad for the recent AFCON qualifiers but did not play in either game. His latest performance gives him a boost as he looks to secure his place in the Super Eagles.
Nathan Tella, Victor Boniface, Bayer Leverkusen
Nathan Tella returned to Bundesliga play as Bayer Leverkusen won 4-3 against Mainz in a thrilling match at the MEWA Arena.
The Nigerian international missed the first four league matches of the season due to a back injury. Before Saturday, his only game this season was in the DFB-Pokal win over Wehen Wiesbaden, where he played the last 25 minutes.
The international break helped Tella regain his fitness and he was included in Leverkusen’s matchday squad for the first time this season.
With Leverkusen leading 4-2, he came on for Afonso Moreira with 15 minutes left in the match. Tella could not add to the score, but his return is a good sign after his injury layoff.
Leverkusen went up 2-0 with goals from Robert Andrich and Patrik Schick. Mainz equalized with two goals from Anthony Caci. Jarell Quansah and Moussa Diaby put Leverkusen back in front after halftime, while Benedict Hollerbach’s late goal was not enough to stop Mainz from losing.
Another Nigerian forward, Victor Boniface, stayed on the bench during the match. His absence meant he could not add to his contributions for the former Bundesliga champions.
With Tella back in action after his injury, it will be interesting to see how the competition for attacking roles at Leverkusen unfolds as the season goes on.
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