Victor Osimhen played all 90 minutes and fired blanks in Sporting Charleroi 1-1 home draw with Oostende in the Belgian Jupiler League game on Saturday reports Completesports.com.
Its the second straight league game the lanky forward has failed to score for Sporting Charleroi.
Jeremy Perbet gave the hosts, Sporting Charleroi a 78th minute lead but Zarko Tomasevic earned Oostende a share of the spoil from the game.
Osimhen has scored nine times in 20 league games for Sporting Charleroi where he is on loan from Wolfsburg.
In Turkey, Abdullahi Shehu came on for Henri Saivet in Besiktas’s 2-0 win over Bursaspor on Saturday.
The game was Shehu’s third appearanace this season for Bursaspor 12th with 24th points from 21 games.
In the German Bundesliga 2, Jamilu Collins made his 21st start for SC Paderborn 07 who beat VfL Bochum 1848 2-1 to move up fifth in the table.
At the Caykur Didi Stadium, Nigerian trio of Okechukwu Azubuike Aminu Umar and Chidozie Awaziem all started in Rizespor’s 1-1 home draw against Antalyaspor.
While Awaziem plaayed all 90 minutes – his third start for Rizespor since he joined on loan from FC Porto, Umar was replaced in the 27th minute for Prejuce Nakoulma due to injury.
Azubuike on his part was cautioned in the 43rd minute and was replaced in the 75th minute by Braian Samudio in his second appearance.
In Portugal, Kelechi Nwakali replaced Gleison in FC Porto B’s 3-3 draw away to Academico Viseu. The one cap Nigerian player came on in the 73rd minute minute of the draw.
By Johnny Edward.
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COMMENTS
Its rather disheartening to read on sports pages the disappointing news of our own hopeful Nwakali struggling at Porto.
This is a player we all lauded as he distinguished himself against Athletico Madrid.A player with so much quality and pedigree.We had high hopes in this lad and what he brings to the team hoping he leads a new generation of exciting talents coming through for the super eagles whether that dream will come true only time will tell but from the look of things its not looking good.
A fantastically gifted player who excelled and led by example at the various youth levels of the national team touted to replace our ageing captain but how things could turn around so quick,i hope he doesn’t go the way of Wilson Oruma.I do not wish him that rather hoping he works harder to be that great player we his fans saw in him.
God bless Nigeria
You hope he doesn’t go the way of Wilson Orunma. How?
Orunma enjoyed 17 years of top flight football which included 1 world cup and 2 afcon outings for the Super Eagles.
He narrowly missed out on the 2002 world cup but was part of the historic 1996 Olympic winning under 23 side.
Should Nwakali go on to achieve these milestones, he would regard his national team career moderately successful.
Yes, Orunma did not feature as much as he could have for Nigeria but that had more to do with the fact that he could never displace Okocha as the main central midfielder for the Super Eagles.
There were talks – in 1997 – that Orunma would feature ahead of Okocha in Nigeria for the world cup however when the world cup commence, Okocha reminded everyone of his class and the reasons why Orunma would be confined to the bench for many, many seasons to come.
Funny enough, in the dead-rubber world cup group match that Orunma featured, the 1993 Under-17 golden ball winner reminder all that he carried a better goal-threat than Okocha as he found the back of the net against arguable to the best goalkeeper in the world at the time: Jose Chilavert of Paraguay.
Yes, 17 caps for the Super Eagles over 17 years aren’t a lot of caps. But, if you have to compete with Okocha (who rarely got injured) then expect few caps.
I wish Nwakali well in his football career however I struggle to see how Orunma’s overall football career can be set as an example of a career path not to follow.
Oruma Vs Paraguay 1998:
https://youtu.be/b1iE4hziGFo
I wonder why both Okocha and Oruma couldn’t play together. During the 2006 nations cup, I watched our first match against Ghana with my Ghanaian roommates and their friends, and after the match they all said that Oruma was our best player. Come knockout stages Mikel confined him to the bench. I think he had issues with the coaches. Even before the 2002 World Cup, when I heard that the coach dropped a player (who unknowingly was already on the list) because the player tried to bribe the coach, I suspected Oruma because there was no reason to drop him then. And we paid for it when Kanu got injured in the first match against Argentina as nobody could replace him.
Good stats but despite that we all knew Oruma’s career didn’t blossom professionally and also at national level.He struggled to establish himself to reach that height everyone was expecting due to the level he set for himself at Japan in 1993.He was huge in that tournament and we were looking forward to seeing a great midfielder in the nearest fu ture for the senior national team.
Rightly he was a Olympic gold medalist but played a minimal role in the team only used sparingly.At national level 0he rarely featured in games the few times he made the roster that’s not what we call a blossoming career we expected a lot more from a player with so much potential.
At lens he had a couple of good seasons and we didn’t hear much about his club career but had he had a better career after lens he would constantly be on the back pages of newspapers in the country even when Okocha is not in the team Oruma was never considered as a direct replacement.
We wish Nwakali well in his career to achieve better things at club and national team more than his predecessors Okocha and Mikel that’s my wish for this young lad .
God bless Nigeria
Nwakali struggling? Lets look at the stats:
In 2019, Porto B has played 7 matches in the league. Nwakali has played in every match. 90 minutes three times, 84 minutes once, 75 minutes once, 60 minutes once and in the last match (the one in the article) 17 minutes.
In total Kelechi has played 505 minutes out of the 630 minutes or 80% game time since January 2019.
Also worth noting is that Porto B are unbeaten in every game he has played this year.
Last year Porto were rooted to the bottom of the table (Kelechi did not appear as much) currently they sit 7th on the table. That doesn’t suggest he is currently struggling. He has appeared in 18 matches all season. He struggled a little between September and November but has been playing regularly since January
Yes Nwakali is struggling.
He was loaned to NAC Breda but was confined to the bench for much of the season.What do you call that?success/failure I leave that for you to answer.
Because of lack of game time his loan in Holland was terminated and was shipped to Porto who decided to observe him from close range at their b team where he played a handful of games last year and Porto couldn’t promote him to their main team because of the obvious.
This year the young man started well and started a couple of games and was in the news again only to lose his place and was coming off the bench that is not consistency he is struggling but by the look of things he seems to have stepped up a bit this year but needs to be consistent and also play regularly for the youth team of Porto.
He struggled against Liberia in a friendly with the super eagles we all saw that.
I hope he gets his boot running and hit the right form we love him and we want him in the super eagles but he has to get to that level where he can be considered to be in the team.
God bless Nigeria
Football is current. Nwakali never played with NAC Breda. But we rate players on current form.
Osimhen struggled for three years but he is not struggling now. Chukwueze Struggled for three years, but he is performing now. Success struggled in previous season but he is performing better this season. Awoniyi is not struggling now but he did last year with Gent.
Nwakali May have struggled with VV Venlo (12 games 1 goal 2017/18 season)but did better with Maastricht (57 games 7 goals 5 assists 2016/17).
This season he has played 18 games. Some Super Eagles today have not managed 10 games in the premiership or second divisions).
That he struggled last year, does not mean that he is currently struggling. He might struggle tomorrow
@bigd Currently you cannot boast he’s in the first eleven of Porto b can you?
He was given a look in by the gaffer for a couple of games this year but wasn’t convincing otherwise would have maintained his spot in the first team.Now he has to come from the bench what do you call that?
We are not talking of Porto this is just the feeder team if we must be honest we all are disappointed this is a huge talent who won the golden ball at the cadet world cup a great talent with huge expectations from fans like us only to end up on the bench of Porto b team that’s disappointing if I must be honest and he’s struggling that’s the situation unfortunately.
Having said that we pray and hope he hits the ground running we love him and Hope to see him in the super eagles soon.
God bless Nigeria
@Greenturf, he’s started all but one game they have played this year. 7 matches, 6 starts, 80% of game time is more than a look in. That he was introduced in the 73rd minute in a single match this year doesnt mean that he is currently struggling.
Coincidentally, Awaziem also was relegated to Porto B team and played his last game for them in December before being loaned out to Rizespor and guess what? His performances there have landed him in the Turkish premier league team of the week last week.
https://www.whoscored.com/Regions/225/Tournaments/17/Turkey-Super-Lig
I repeat, Porto has never been a good team for Nigerian players, he needs to move clubs in order to fulfil his potential.
If you say 6 starts, 7 matches 505 minutes out of a total 630 in 8 weeks he could have played as struggling then ok oh, make I rest.
Kelechi Nwakali is over rated. Sorry to offend his teeming fans. If he was as good as his fans say, he wouldn’t be in a B team.
He had one good game against an Athletoco side in a holiday mood and since then una no let us hear word for this forum.
Porto is like a grave yard for Nigerian players. Awaziem had to move to Rizespor in order to get game time and is producing great stats.
Yahaya did very well for Porto B last season and this season is warming the bench.
If we look at Kelechi’s peers you’ll see that choice of club is crucial in a players beginning. Osimhen has three years struggling at Wolfsburg before finally doing great in the Belgian premier League. Looking at Bologna, they have Orji Okonkwo on the bench whilst loaning out Kingsley Michael to second division Perugia and is doing fantastically well. Chukwueze waited 3 years before signing a decent deal with Villarreal,
With young players, they need game time first off all to develop experience and it’ll take a while for them to adjust to their club, team mates and playing style.
If he continues with his game time, I’ll expect all named above to be given a chance at the Olympics if we qualify as they will all be under 23, plus others as well.
Some players can go straight into the senior team, with others it’s too soon.
Bomboy, is he actually overrated?
I think as fans we allow ourselves to get carried away very quickly.
Without a doubt, Kelechi Nwakali is a player with huge potentials, promise and prospects. He can go on to be like Man City and Belgium’s Kevin De Bruyner.
But he needs time, plenty of practice and then application ( and dare I say, luck). Even De Bruyner had a rough start to his career before becoming the mega star that he is now for club and country.
But we are yearning, waiting, wanting the Super Eagles to do well so badly that we have almost become impatient for these players.
The minute they have one sparkling game we hail them as the new Messiah, the new Okocha. Let them go through some rough times (like Iheanacho) we are quick to turn our backs and criticise them like tomorrow will never come!
Well, let’s have a bit of patience. These players are trying their very best.
I wish Kelechi and his brother well. If they ever find their feet, good for them (and us), if not, others will step in and play well. We have abundant talents (many yet to be discovered).
@ BigD, maybe he should have gone to a less fancied but competitive league like the Championship where he can blossom with ease.
@ deo, I will be glad as usual if Kelechi proves me wrong in the near future
I pray it turns out well for him.
Not necessarily, just a club with a good fit. Awaziem struggled with Porto inthe Portuguese premier league but is flourishing with Rizespor in the Turkish premier league. A league which is like 5&6 with Portugal.
Azubuike left the Turkish premier league to Egypt and he is back and did well in Turkey.
Awoniyi struggles with Gent but doing fantastic with RE Mouscron in the same league.
What he needs is a club that is a good fit for him. It could be at a higher or lower level or even the same level. Chukwueze rejected Porto and is now in La Liga
@Nwajunior, I can remember…Oruma was dropped for James Obiora…after he fumbled against Republic of Ireland and Obiora went on to disgrace Jamaica in the next match I.e, build up to 2002 world cup matches. Remember him? Real Madrid nemesis(locomotive Moscow guy)
@Greenturf:
Well, I disagree with this notion that “Oruma’s career did not blossom professionally”.
I think such a statement about Oruma’s career is outrageous.
If 17 years of top flight consistent football career cannot be be considered as “a blossomed career” then what can?
Granted : there is a difference between “a blossomed career” and “a stellar career”.
Oruma had a blossomed career while his compatriot Kanu had a stellar career for both club and country.
Yes, Oruma’s under-17 exploit allowed many fans to do to him exactly what they are doing to Kelechi Iheanacho today which is: placing a huge weight of expectation on his shoulders.
Yes, unlike Kanu, Oruma did not play for the Arsenals of this world nor was he able to conviniently rise up to national team midfield competitions of Okocha, Adepoju, Oliseh and Ojigwe.
Having said that, Wilson Oruma had a modest football career for modest clubs with national team appearances that some players will be lucky to have.
Accomplishments: At club football, Oruma won the Intertoto club with Marseille in 2005 (in fact he scored in the final in 95 minutes); he won the 2003–04 Coupe de la Ligue with Sochaux (he came second in the same competition the previous season) ; he won the 2008–09 Coupe de France with Guingamp. He played in the Europa league for Marseille as they defeated Okocha’s Bolton 2:1 in February 2006 to advance to the round of 16.
Oruma did his bit for Nigeria’s qualification for the 1998 World Cup with 1 goal in the qualifier. He will go on to justify his inclusion in the World Cup squad with 1 goal in the only match he featured.
A direct midfielder, Oruma played with fluidity, flair and passion always having an eye for goal.
He is the sort of attacking midfielder sorely missing in the Super Eagles at this time.
He was never able to displace the options ahead of him in the national team however when he had the opportunity – which were few and far between – he rarely disappointed. He managed to squeeze in goals when he could with the few matches he played.
In my view, Oruma’s career blossomed and it blossomed well.
Could he have done better? Yes he could have.
But I think Oruma can look back at his career with pride because he didn’t do too badly for himself. He is a player we all can be proud of (shame about the news recently that he was duped of large sums of money).
I am fully with you on the issue of Oruma.
People judge him based on his national team appearances, but forget that he did very well in his club career starting with his days at Lens and Lyon.
His national team appearances were limited because of the numerous options we had in the SE midfield at that time. If he was still active today, he would literally stroll into our current SE squad.