Nigerian players continued to make their presence felt across different leagues on Sunday as Simy Nwankwo, Bright Godwin, and Rasheed Akanbi all played decisive roles for their respective teams.
The trio each provided important assists that helped their clubs secure valuable victories in Saudi Arabia, Portugal, and Turkey.
Simy Nwankwo Inspires Al-Orobah Return to Winning Ways
Simy Nwankwo played a crucial role as Al-Orobah edged past Al Arabi with a narrow 1-0 victory in the Saudi Arabian First Division League.
After a quiet first half that ended goalless, the experienced Nigerian striker stepped up early in the second period.
Nwankwo set up Darwin Gonzalez in the 55th minute, and the Venezuelan forward calmly finished to score the only goal of the match at Al-Oruba Club Stadium.
The win was an important response from Al-Orobah, who had struggled in recent weeks with a run that included one draw and three consecutive defeats.
Despite playing mainly as a striker, Simy Nwankwo has also contributed creatively this season.
The 33-year-old now has two assists alongside his impressive scoring record. Overall, Nwankwo has registered 22 goal contributions after netting 20 goals in just 19 league appearances.
The victory lifted Al-Orobah to fifth place in the standings with 47 points. They will look to build on the momentum when they face Al Batin in their next league fixture.
Bright Godwin’s Assist Seals Vizela Victory
In Portugal’s Liga Portugal 2, Bright Godwin also delivered a match-winning contribution as Vizela defeated Felgueiras 1932 away from home.
The 24-year-old Nigerian defender produced an outstanding performance at the back while also contributing going forward.
Godwin created the decisive moment in the 64th minute when he set up Yassin Fortune for the game’s only goal.
The assist capped an impressive display from Bright Godwin, who was later regarded as the standout performers in the match.
Thanks to the result, Vizela climbed to sixth place on the league table with 38 points as they continue their push for a stronger finish to the campaign.
Rasheed Akanbi Guides Boluspor to Comfortable Win
Over in Turkey, Rasheed Akanbi also had a productive outing as Boluspor secured a 2-0 home victory over Igdir FK in the Turkish 1. Lig.
The Nigerian winger made his impact early in the game. Rasheed Akanbi combined effectively with Arda Usluoglu before providing the assist for the opening goal in the 17th minute at Bolu Ataturk Stadyumu.
Boluspor maintained their advantage going into halftime, and the visitors’ task became even harder in the second half when Oguz Guctekin was sent off with a straight red card.
Although Boluspor dominated the rest of the match, they added only one more goal late on, with Usluoglu scoring again in the 84th minute to seal the 2-0 win.
With this latest contribution, Rasheed Akanbi now has nine goal involvements this season, recording four goals and five assists in 28 appearances.
Despite the win, Boluspor remain 10th in the standings with 41 points and will next face Corum FK.
It was a productive weekend for Nigerian footballers abroad as Simy Nwankwo, Bright Godwin, and Rasheed Akanbi all played decisive roles for their teams.