Outstanding five: Awoniyi bags brace, Onuachu scores

Taiwo Awoniyi

Awoniyi showed signs of his brilliance and coming of age with his brace and assist over the weekend. The Liverpool loanee scored a first equalizer after defender Christian Luyindama had headed Standard Liege in front.  Awoniyi powered past Luyindama on the outside right, and sprinting towards goal he guided the ball away from Giorgos Koutroumbis half-hearted challenge in the box to slip the ball into the goalkeeper’s near post.

The assist came next, the forward playing on the shoulder of the defenders received a through pass that took him wide of goal, aware of the better-placed Dorin Rotariu, Awoniyi delivered a perfect cut-back for his teammate to rifle home.

Running into space, Awoniyi received a pass that dragged him into an acute shooting position instead of firing away and hoping on luck, the 20-year old chopped the ball back to his left foot dribbling a defender in the process before squeezing the ball under Guillermo Ochoa’s legs. Unfortunately, Taiwo’s contribution to the Royal Excel Mouscron side wasn’t enough to produce a win as Standard Liege won the seven goal thriller.

Chico Ofoedu

Chico Ofoedu got his ninth goal and sixth assist for Eskişehirspor in the second division of the Turkish League. The 25 year old lifted a inch-perfect cross for his teammate DorukhanToköz to glance a header into the net in the 25th minute. Ofoedus’ goal came four minutes after the hour mark. The forward pressed a defender for the ball, won the ball, then finished coolly when faced with the goalkeeper to send the crowd to raptures. Eskişehirspor are 14th on the 1.Lig table with 24 points from 21 matches. Ofoedu started his career with Rangers International, Enugu.

Joseph Akpala

Akpala helped his side KV Oostende end a three streak without a win. The burly striker has been immense in the past few weeks scoring three in his last four games. Akpala was poised to head in a cross floated in from the left during open play but Anderlecht defender Leander Dendoncker stole ahead of the forward to nudge the ball home inadvertently for an own goal. Akpala didn’t mind celebrating the goal as his. On the 15th minute, Akpala with his back to post thought to control the corner with his left foot before a swivel shot but the frenzied situation in the box meant he only touched the ball towards his teammate Antonio Milić who stabbed home from close range.

Paul Onuachu

After a long time off the scorer’s sheet, Onuachu scored a goal for his Danish club side, Midtyjlland. The last time he scored was against the same opponents Horsens in the cup in October. It didn’t take long before Onuachu inked his name on the score-sheet against the familiar opponent. In the 7th minute, the 23-year old beautifully brought down a long floated ball with his chest before rolling the ball past the goalkeeper with his right foot.

Kelechi Nwakali

Nwakali back on loan at MVV Maastricht after an unsatisfactory stint on loan also at VVV Venlo was impressive in MVV’s 2-0 win over Cambuur. Though he did not score a goal but he was instrumental to the way his side built up play, often embarking on his bursting runs from deep. The midfielder after a promising run had a shot saved by the goalkeeper. He laid the assist for his team’s second goal and played with a confidence that was rarely seen whenever he eventually got on the pitch at Venlo. Nwakali has started in MVV’s last three matches and seems to have locked down a spot in the team’s starting line up