Nigerian Stars Shine As Fulham Defeat Leicester, Nottingham Forest Edge Southampton

By Onoja Baba, Abuja, Nigeria

Nigerian players were at the heart of the action in the English Premier League on Saturday, with Alex Iwobi’s decisive goal securing a 2-1 win for Fulham over Leicester City, while Ola Aina and Taiwo Awoniyi’s Nottingham Forest earned a narrow 1-0 victory against Southampton.

At Craven Cottage, Fulham ended a 12-year drought of failing to win their opening home fixture in style.

Emile Smith Rowe, a summer signing, opened the scoring in the 18th minute, finishing off a well-placed pass from Adama Traoré with a powerful left-footed shot that beat Leicester’s goalkeeper, Mads Hermansen.

Leicester responded in the 38th minute when Wout Faes headed in from a corner. The goal was initially disallowed for offside against Jamie Vardy, but referee Darren Bond reversed the decision after a VAR review, leveling the score.

The match remained evenly contested until the 70th minute when Alex Iwobi, a former Arsenal player, seized the moment. He latched onto Anthony Robinson’s clever pass and slotted a left-footed shot past Hermansen, restoring Fulham’s lead and ultimately securing the victory.

Iwobi, alongside fellow Nigerian Calvin Bassey, played the entire match, contributing significantly to Fulham’s triumph. Wilfred Ndidi also featured for Leicester but couldn’t prevent the defeat.

In another tightly fought contest at Saint Mary’s Stadium, Nottingham Forest secured their first win of the season, defeating Southampton 1-0. The match, which featured three Nigerian players, was closely contested throughout.

After a lackluster first half, Southampton increased their offensive pressure but struggled to break down a determined Forest defense, anchored by Ola Aina’s solid performance.

The breakthrough came in the 76th minute when Morgan Gibbs-White capitalized on a rebound after his header was cleared off the line by Southampton’s Yukinari Sugawara. Taiwo Awoniyi had just been introduced as a substitute for Forest, bringing fresh energy to their attack.

Joe Aribo, who started for Southampton, was substituted at the same time as Awoniyi’s introduction, leaving the field without making a significant impact.

Paul Onuachu and Emmanuel Dennis were absent from the matchday squads for Southampton and Nottingham Forest, respectively.

The results leave Fulham and Nottingham Forest buoyed by their victories, while Leicester and Southampton will be eager to regroup and bounce back in their next fixtures.