Monday night was one to remember for Nigerian footballers abroad, as Itodo Mandela, Blessing Eleke, and Victor Ochayi delivered standout performances for their respective clubs.
Ochayi in action
From stunning goals to crucial assists, these stars played key roles in their teams’ victories across Albania and Bulgaria.
Itodo Mandela’s early strike sets FC Dinamo on course
Itodo Mandela wasted no time making an impact in FC Dinamo’s commanding 3-1 home win over Bylis FC in the Albanian Superliga.
The round 29 encounter at Elbasan Arena saw the Nigerian forward open the scoring just nine minutes into the game, giving the hosts an early advantage.
However, his night was cut short as he was forced off in the 22nd minute due to a knock, with Fjoart Jonuzi taking his place.
Despite his absence, Dinamo maintained their momentum, doubling their lead through Dejvi Bregu six minutes later.
Bylis managed to pull one back in the 34th minute via Flamur Ruci, but Bregu struck again in the 64th minute to seal the victory.
The win was a crucial bounce-back for FC Dinamo after their 2-0 loss to Egnatia in the previous outing.
They remain second in the standings with 50 points, just two behind league leaders Egnatia.
Blessing Eleke and Victor Ochayi deliver late magic
Over in Albania’s Kategoria Superiore, Blessing Eleke provided the perfect late-game twist for FK Partizani.
Coming off the bench in the 80th minute, the 29-year-old forward needed just 11 minutes to make his mark, netting a dramatic winner in their 2-1 away victory over Skënderbeu.
The much-needed win snapped Partizani’s two-game losing streak and propelled them to fourth place with 43 points, keeping their European qualification hopes alive.
Meanwhile, in Bulgaria’s Parva Liga, Victor Ochayi displayed his playmaking prowess as FK Septemvri demolished FK Hebar 6-1.
The midfielder played the entire match, registering a key assist for the fifth goal before making way for Kubrat Onasci in stoppage time.
Septemvri extended their unbeaten streak to five matches, with three wins and two draws.
However, despite their strong form, they remain in 10th place with 30 points, trailing league leaders Ludogorets by a massive 31 points.
From Mandela’s early breakthrough to Eleke’s late brilliance and Ochayi’s creative brilliance, Monday night was a show of how Nigerian talents are flourishing across Europe.
With crucial matches ahead, these players will look to maintain their momentum and keep their teams on course for a strong finish to the season.
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