From Libya to Serbia, Malaysia, and Croatia, Nigerian footballers left their mark with decisive goals and brilliant performances on Friday.
Adepoju Oluwaseun, Anthony Lokosa, Ismahil Akinade, and Goodness Ajayi each played a crucial role in their respective matches, securing vital points for their teams, Footballrover reports.
But how did they make the difference when it mattered most?
Adepoju strikes late to save Al Borouq
In Libya, Adepoju Oluwaseun delivered a dramatic equaliser to help Al Borouq secure a 1-1 draw against Al Nasr in their Premier League Group 1 clash.
Playing at the Martyrs of February Stadium, the game remained goalless until Malian forward Cheickna Samake broke the deadlock in the 73rd minute.
However, Oluwaseun responded just seven minutes later, firing home a crucial goal four minute later to ensure his side avoided defeat.
The result extended Al Borouq’s unbeaten run to five matches (three wins and two draws), keeping them in sixth place with 15 points from 15 games.
Up next, they will face Al-Anwar, aiming to climb higher in the standings.
Lokosa’s winner stuns FK Indjija
Anthony Lokosa was the hero of the day for FK Smederevo 1924 in Serbia’s Prva Liga, scoring the decisive goal in their 2-1 away victory over FK Indjija.
The home fans at TOYO Tires Arena were left shocked when Vojislav Balabanovic netted the opening goal in the 29th minute.
Anthony extended Smederevo’s lead early in the second half, scoring just 13 minutes after the restart.
Indjija fought back with a goal from Luka Stojanovic, but Smederevo held on to claim all three points.
With this win, Anthony’s side now sits ninth on the table with 29 points after 25 matches.
Akinade’s goal rescues Terengganu
Over in Malaysia, Ismahil Akinade played a key role in FC Terengganu’s 2-2 home draw against Sabah FC in the Super League.
Stuart Wilkin put the visitors ahead in the 20th minute, but Ismahil quickly responded, finding the equaliser just four minutes later.
Despite Terengganu’s efforts, Sabah retook the lead at the stroke of halftime through Saddil Ramdani.
However, Safawi Rasid’s late strike six minutes before stoppage time ensured both teams shared the spoils.
With this result, Terengganu remains in fourth place with 32 points, trailing third-placed Sabah by four points.
Ajayi leads NK Opatija to victory
Meanwhile. in Croatia, Goodness Ajayi powered NK Opatija to a well deserved 2-0 win over NK Dugopolje in the 1NL.
The game at Stadion Kantrida turned in Opatija’s favour when Dugopolje’s and Nigerian star Goziembah Makuochukwu received a straight red card just 26 minutes in.
Fourteen minutes after the sending-off, Goodness capitalised on the advantage, netting the opener before halftime.
Dugopolje fought hard to equalise, but Dominik Mulac sealed the victory in the 82nd minute, sending NK Opatija to the top of the table with a three-point lead.
They now await result from second-placed Vukovar 1991’s fixture to see if they can maintain their position.
From Oluwaseun’s late heroics in Libya to Anthony’s match-winning strike in Serbia, Ismahil’s rescue act in Malaysia, and Goodness’ leadership in Croatia, Nigerian footballers continue to deliver strong performances across the globe.
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