Posted: Apr 08, 2013

Utaka, Sodje, Olofinjana see yellow; Mikel wins with Chelsea

ENGLAND

John Mikel Obi, Victor Moses (Chelsea): Super Eagles midfielder John Mikel Obi helped Chelsea to ease past Sunderland with a 2-1 win at Stamford Bridge on Sunday- their third successive win at home and jumped above Tottenham on goal difference into third place. It was Mikel's 26th appearance for the reigning European and FA Cup champions while Moses was not listed for the game after scoring in the Europa Cup competition against Rubin Kazan on Thursday.

Victor Anichebe (Everton): Super Eagles striker Victor Anichebe fired blanks in his 19th appearance of the season for Everton as the Toffees were forced to a 2-2 draw at the White Hart Lane on Sunday by Tottenham.

The Beijing Olympic attacker has so far scored five goals this season for the David Moyes side.

Shola Ameobi (Newcastle): One-cap Super Eagles striker Shola Ameobi was an unused substitute for the Magpies in their lone goal win over Fulham on Sunday. Ameobi has scored only one goal in 19 EPL appearances for Newcastle.

Osaze Odemwingie (West Brom): Super Eagles striker Osaze Odemwingie was not listed in West Brom's 2-1 home loss to Arsenal on Saturday. Osaze has played 23 times for the Baggies thus far this season- starting in 13 of those games.

Danny Shittu (Millwall): Danny Shittu played his 32nd npower Championship game of the season for Millwall on Saturday in his club's 1-1 away draw against Birmingham City at the St Andrew's Stadium. The Millwall captain who was not selected for Nigeria's 2013 Africa Cup of Nations campaign played from start to finish for manager Kenny Jacket's side.

Seyi Olofinjana (Sheffield Wednesday) Dickson Etuhu(Blackburn Rovers): Former Super Eagles midfielder Seyi George Olofinjana was yellow-carded in the 67th minute on Saturday in Sheffield Wednesday's 3-2 home win over Blackburn Rovers at the Hilsborough Stadium. The game was Seyi's only second game for the club where he is on loan from Hull City. Olofinjana was in action for 90 minutes of the game. Injured Dickson Etuhu was understandably not available for the match. Etuhu has played 20 games for Rovers this term.

Sone Aluko (Hull City): Super Eagles fringe forward Omatsone Aluko who is still out injured was understandably not listed on Saturday in Hull City's 1-0 home win over Middlesbrough at the Kingston Communications Stadium. Aluko has scored eight goals in 23 appearances for the Tigers this season.

Efe Sodje, Nicky Ajose (Bury Town): Former Super Eagles defender Efetobore Sodje received his second consecutive yellow card in two weeks on Saturday in Bury's 2-0 away loss to Hartlepool United at the Victoria Park. It was his second booking of the season. Nicky Ajose played for 54 minutes when he was replaced by Jonson Clark-Harris. The game was Ajose's 12th of the season while it was the fourth for Sodje.
Magnus Okunonghae (Colchester United): Nigeria’s Magnus Okunonghae was as usual in action for Colchester United on Saturday in his club's 2-1 home win over Leyton Orient at the Weston Homes Community Stadium. It was his 38th game of the season. The defender has scored thrice thus far and booked (yellow card) six times in 3,407 minutes of club football.

UKRAINE

Brown Ideye, Haruna Lukman, Taye Taiwo (Dynamo Kiev): Super Eagles trio of Brown Ideye, Haruna Lukman and Taye Taiwo were handed a starting berth in Dynamo Kiev's 2-1 home loss to Shaktar Donetsk on Sunday. Taiwo was replaced at half time by Yuri Selin in his 16th appearance while Ideye played out the entire duration in his 22nd appearance for the club this season. Haruna who has scored two goals in 12 league appearances was also replaced in the 76th minute.

Lucky Idahor(Zorya): Former Julius Berger striker Lucky Idahor was in action for only 46 minutes in Zorya's 0-1 home loss to Chornomorets on Saturday.

Michael Odibe (Arsenal Kiev): Michael Odibe was in action for 90 minutes on Saturday but was yellow-carded in the 68th minute of their game against Metalurh Zaporizhya. It was the fifth game of the season for the Nigerian who has now bagged three yellow cards this season.

Michael Babatunde (Kryvbas): Nigeria's Michael Babatunde was an unused sub in Kryvbas' game against Illichivets on Saturday. He has played eight times for his club this season.


TURKEY


Joseph Yobo (Fenerbahçe) Yussuf Ayila (Orduspor):

Super Eagles skipper Joseph Yobo and his compatriot Yussuf Ayila were both listed for their respective teams as they clashed at the Eylül stadium on Sunday. It was Yobo's 16th game of the season in the league for Fenerbahçe this season scoring no goal while for Yussuf, it was his third goal albeit scoring one goal since making a loan switch from Dynamo Kiev in January.

Michael Eneramo (Sivasspor): Out-of-favour Eagles striker Michael Eneramo was not listed for action in Sivasspor's clash away to Eskis,ehirspor on Sunday. He has so far scored eight times in 25 appearances for his side in the Turkish Super Lig.

Isaac Promise (Antalyaspor), Kalu Uche (Kasimpasa): Former Flying Eagles captain Isaac Promise was in action for 87 minutes and substituted in Antalyaspor's 3-2 home win over Kalu Uche's Kasimpasa on Friday. Uche who has been recalled to the Super Eagles for the crucial 2014 World Cup qualifiers and FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil scored Kasimpasa's second goal in the 71st minute which was his 17th goal of the season in the Turkish top flight. The midfielder cum striker has thus played 28 league matches for Kasimpasa in 2,486 minutes. For Promise, it was his 24th game of the season in which he has scored seven goals.

Simon Zenke (Istanbul BB): Former Flying Eagles striker Simon Zenke was in action for 60 minutes in Istanbull BB's 2-2 home draw against Karabukspor on Saturday. The striker who has thus played nine matches has now chalked up 610 minutes of club football.

Nduka Ozokwo, Raheem Lawal (Mersin Idmanyurdu): The duo of Nduka Ozokwo and Raheem Lawal were both in action on Saturday in Mersin Idyanmurdu 3-1 away defeat against Galatasaray. Ozokwo was in action for 90 minutes but Lawal was replaced by Emer Tozlu in the 74th minute.


HOLLAND

Kenneth Omeruo (ADO Den Haag): Super Eagles defender Kenneth Omeruo played all 90 minutes on Saturday in ADO Den Haag's lone goal defeat to FC Utrecht at the Nieuw Galgewaard. The game was the 23rd of the season for the on-loan defender from Chelsea who has been called up for the Eagles crowded fixtures in June.

Uche Nwofor (VVV Venlo): Former Flying Eagles striker Uche Nwofor was not listed for action by VVV Venlo on Saturday in their 1-0 defeat to Feyenoord. The forward who played for Enugu Rangers before his sojourn to Europe has played 20 times for his Eredevisie side this term while he has scored six times.


SPAIN

Ikechukwu Uche (Villareal); Sunday Stephen (Numancia): Super Eagles striker Ikechukwu Uche came off the substitutes bench in the 64th minute to scored his ninth goal of the season in Villarreal's 6-1 mauling of Numancia who paraded Sunday Stephen for the first half of the encounter at the El Madrigal stadium on Sunday.

It was Uche's 16th game of the season for Villarreal and Stephen was replaced at half-time by Bedoya.
Ramon Azeez (Almeria): Former Flying Eagles skipper Ramon Azeez was not listed for action for Almeria as they piped Recreativo Huelva 2-1 at home. He has so far chalked up three games for the La Liga promotion chasers.


CYPRUS

Jamiu Alimi (Olympiakos): Former national U-20 defender, Jamiu Alimi, played for 68 minutes for Olympiakos as they took a great leap towards surviving relegation with a goalless draw against Nea Salamis on Sunday. It was his seventh appearance for the club since joining from Tavriya on loan. Olympiakos are currently second in the group.


FRANCE

John Utaka(Montpellier): Super Eagles forward John Chukwudi Utaka was yellow-carded in the 44th minute on Saturday as Montpellier defeated Valenciennes 3-1 at home. The experienced Eagles star who was left out of the Nigerian team to the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa was substituted in the 46th minute by Gaetan Charbonnier. The game was the 26th of the season in the Ligue 1 for the elegant striker cum winger who has scored five goals for La Paillade thus far this season.

Onyekachi Apam, Ejike Uzoenyi (Rennes): Injury-prone Super Eagles defender Onyekachi Apam was an unused substitute on Saturday in Rennes' 2-0 home defeat to Ligue 1 leaders PSG. Apam has played eight times for the Ligue 1 side, while Uzoenyi who was not even listed for the game is yet to make his debut after his AFCON exploits.


GERMANY

Chinedu Obasi(Schalke) Joseph Akpala (Weder Bremen): Injury-prone Eagles forward Chinedu Obasi who last played for Schalke before the international break two weeks ago was again missing for the Gelsenkirshen side on Saturday as Schalke defeated Weder Bremen 2-0. Obasi whose injury woes has denied him the chance to play for the Super Eagles for close to three years has just four appearances to show for his club thus far. Joseph Akpala who has made 18 Bundesliga appearances this season and scored once was also not listed by Bremen.

Anthony Ujah (Cologne): Super Eagles newly invited player, Anthony Ujah, was in action for 90 minutes on Friday in Cologne's 3-0 defeat in the hands of Kaiserslautern. The match was Ujah's 23rd of the season in which he has netted 11 goals and played a total of 1,963 minutes.


DENMARK

Rafiu Afolabi (Sonderjyske); Izunna Uzochukwu, Rilwan Hassan, Sylvester Igboun, Isaac Oliseh (Midtjylland): The duo of Rilwan Hassan and Sylvester Igboun were the scorers in Midtjylland's 2-0 away win over Sonderjyske on Saturday. Izunna Uzochukwu and Sylvester Igboun played for 90 minutes while Hassan who grabbed the second goal in the 88th minute was substituted by Pione Sisto. Hassan put the Danish side in only the 2nd minute of the match which was his third goal of the campaign. Former Super Eagles defender Rabiu Afolabi played for only 32 minutes in the game which was his third of the season. He was replaced by Rasmus Gronborg Hansen due to injury. Isaac Oliseh was on the bench throughout the duration of the match. The youngster is yet to play a game for the club. It was Uzochukwu's 24th game of the season just like Hassan, while Igboun who has thus far notched his fifth goal of the season in 18 games.


ISRAEL

Vincent Enyeama (Maccabi Tel Aviv): Super Eagles first choice goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama was in goal on Saturday in Maccabi Tel Aviv's 2-0 home win over Hapoel Tel Aviv at the Bloomfield Stadium. The game was the 22nd of the season for the 2013 AFCON winner.


NORWAY

George White Agwuocha (Odd Grenland), Fegor Ogude, Aaron Olanare (Valerenga): Former Golden Eaglets and Flying Eagles striker Goerge White Agwuocha was an unused sub in Odd Grenland's 2-0 home win over Valerenga that paraded the duo of Eagles star Fegor Ogude and Aaron Olanare. Agwuocha has played three times for his club this term- same as the duo of Ogude and Olanere


SPAIN

Odion Ighalo(Granada), Nosa Igiebor(Real Betis): Former Flying Eagles and U-23 striker Jude Odion Ighalo played for all 90 minutes on Friday in Granada's 1-5 home bashing suffered in the hands of rampant Real Betis. Ighalo came off the bench in the place of Iriney Santos in the 46th minute of the game which his compatriot Nosa Igiebor played all 90 minutes for Betis. The game was the 21st of the season for Ighalo who has played a total of 1,501 minutes this season and scored three goals. Igiebor was yellow-carded in the first minute of the match and has now played 12 times for the Balompie side in 391 minutes but is yet to score this season.


Macaulay Chrisantus (Las Palmas): Former Golden Eaglets and Flying Eagles striker Macaulay Chrisantus was in action on Saturday in Las Palmas' 1-0 away win over Ponferradina. Chrisantus came off the bench in the 46th minute in place of Momo. It was the 31st game of the season for the one-time FC Abuja starlet who has scored seven goals for his club this season in the Spanish second division.


RUSSIA

Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow): Super Eagles forward Ahmed Musa was not in action on Saturday in CSKA Moscow's 2-0 home win over Volga. Musa has played 21 times for the Army side with nine goals to his name
Victor Nsofor (Lokomotiv Moscow): Obinna Nsofor played for all 90 minutes on Saturday but was yellow-carded in the 78th minute of his club’s game against Terek Grozny. He has now played 20 games for his club and scored twice.----------- culled from complete sports