Super Eagles winger Moses Simon grabbed an assist as Levante thrashed Uche Agbo’s Rayo Vallecano 4-1 in their LaLiga clash at the Estadio Ciudad de Valencia on Saturday, reports Completesports.com.
The win boosted Levante’s hopes of escaping the drop with two games remaining before the end of the campaign.
Simon replaced Borja Mayoral 11 minutes from time and provided the assist for Ernis Bardhi fourth goal.
Jose Angel Campana, Ruben Vezo and David Jason scored the other goals for Levante.
Levante 4-1 Rayo Vallecano
Alvaro Garcia got Rayo Vallecano’s only goal of the game. The visitors finished the game with 10-men after Andri Embarba was sent off eight minutes from time.
Uche Agbo who started the game for Rayo Vallecano was replaced by Alvaro Medran in the 28th minute.
The game was Simon’s 18th league appearance for Levante this season and he has scored only one goal.
Agbo who is on loan at Rayo Vallecano from Belgian club Standard Liege has made just four appearance for the club following his January arrival.
Levante sit in 16th position in the Laliga table with 37 points from 36 games, while Rayo Vallecano who have garnered 31 points from the same number of matches now face a difficult battle to escape the drop.
By Adeboye Amosu
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COMMENTS
Moses Simon’s powerful run to evade 2 defenders and sublime through pass Bardhi to smash in his team’ 4th goal of the match yesterday.
The diminutive winger came to his own in the back-to-back world cup qualifiers against Cameroon in 2017 where he formed part of a deadly trio that included Victor Moses and Odion Ighalo.
With Mikel providing creative contents from central midfield, these three were simply irrepressible.
They reduced the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon to Inconsolable Cubs over 2 legs en route to booking a place in the global showpiece in Russia.
However, after those 2 matches, Moses Simon’s impact and authority in the team started a journey of slow decline ultimately culminating in him missing the World Cup altogether.
Several factors could be seen.
1) Iwobi (a direct threat to Simon in the wings, whose versatility also makes him more attractive than Simon because he can play as a central midfielder or support striker) came back with a bang to score the crucial goal against Zambia to take Nigeria to the world cup (incidentally after coming to replace Simon).
2) Musa’s loan-move CSKA Moscow which saw him slowly regain his starting slot.
3) Injuries that slowed Simon down in the lead up to the world cup and which ultimately led to him being dropped.
Moses Simon is now back playing well but the Super Eagles landscape has changed significantly and there is a real possibility that he could miss the Afcon even if he is fit.
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Musa – he is now a sure started after his world cup heroics.
Kalu – if he recovers in time from recent setbacks, Rohr has said more than once that Samuel Kalu is a sure starter in his team.
Chukwueze – though significantly less experienced than Simon, few observers will bat an eyelid if Simon is dropped for the excitingly exuberant Chukwueze.
Onyekuru – he is living up to the hype in Turkey and could be considered ahead of Simon.
Even if Moses Simon makes the squad, his chances of seeing meaningful action (like the ones he enjoyed in the back-to-back matches against Cameroon in 2017) could be curtailed.
Simon has proved that he has what it takes to face African oppositions in gruelling encounters.
However, with the options open to Rohr at this time, Simon’s biggest challenge will be to prove that he has what it takes to be selected ahead of those that have shone for club and country in recent matches.