Correspondent TUNDE LIADI continues with his round up on Nigerian players abroad as we warm up to other thrilling games this weekend.
SCOTLAND
Rangers complete with the Nigerian duo of Joe Aribo and Leon Balogun will be gunning for fourth consecutive victory on the bounce when they face former Super Eagles defender Efe Ambrose’s Livingston on Sunday at the Tony Macaroni Arena.
The Gers are on top of the SPL with nine points from three games with the two Nigerians contributing their quota to the feat. Balogun and Aribo have played all three games of their club thus far with the latter opening his season’s account in their 3-0 home win midweek over St. Johnstone.
RUSSIA
Super Eagles’ Brian Idowu secured a last minute move to ambitious Premier League side, Khimki from Lokomotiv Moscow just before the first game and was on duty when they were beaten 2-0 at home by CSKA Moscow last weekend. His team was involved in another game last night against PFC Sochi. Idowu and his new club will tackle FC Tambov in another league game on Tuesday.
Elsewhere, Sylvester Igboun made it a perfect start of the season for Dinamo Moscow who secured his services permanently from Ufa with the second important goal in their 2-0 away win at Ural. The 29-year-old Nigerian is expected to play more stirring role when Dinamo Moscow lock horns with FC Rotor Volgograd and FC Rostov today and Wednesday respectively.
BELGIUM
Emmanuel Dennis and David Okereke’s Club Brugge will have the chance to redeem their home loss to Standard Charleroi last weekend in the opening game of the Jupiler League when they trade tackles with Eupen tomorrow.
Club Brugge who are the league’s reigning champions watched in awe as they were beaten by Charleroi barely a week after they lost by the same margin to Royal Antwerp in the Belgium Cup final on August 1.
Incidentally, Genk have three Nigerian players on their payroll: Stephen Odey, Paul Onuachu and Cyril Dessers who just joined from Dutch League side, Heracles Almero as they prepare for their league game with Oud-Heverlee Leuven today.
Onuachu and Dessers were both on the score-sheet for Genk against Zulte Waregem in their away win last weekend and it will be difficult for head coach, Banned Wolf to drop them for the visit of Leuven.
At Royal Antwerp, Junior Udeme Pius celebrated the Belgian Cup after they pipped league champions, Club Brugge 1-0 in the final. He was also in action in their season opener’s home draw against Royal Excel Mouscron last weekend.
Similarly, Kortrijk have three Nigerian players in their books with Imoh Ezekiel, Abduljeleel Ajagun and Terem Moffi as they travel to Gent today for their second game of the season.
SWEDEN
Nigerian attacker, Moses Ogbu is making huge impact in the Swedish topflight for modest club, Myallby after scoring six goals from five successive games.
The 29-year-old star on Wednesday night for Myallby in their 2-1 away loss to Djurgarden and he could extend his streak when they face Malmo with another Nigerian, Bonke Innocent (24 years) likely to be in action tomorrow.
