Naija Stars Abroad: Super Eagles’ Tea off the mark, Osayi-Samuel wins award in England

Pulse Sports Nigeria’s Naija Stars Abroad is back for a new season as Nigerians across the world kick off with their respective clubs.

The new season is already underway with Super Eagles stars like Bright Osayi-Samuel and Toluwase Arokodare taking to the pitch in England and Belgium, respectively.

Fullback, Osayi-Samuel, got off to a stunning start at new club Birmingham City following his summer switch from Super Lig giants Fenerbahce.

The 27-year-old impressed on his debut in the Championship but could not help City hold on to their narrow 1-0 lead as newly relegated Premier League side Ipswich Town snatched a share of the spoils in added time.

However, the Super Eagles star did enough to earn double awards - the official Sky Bet Championship Player of the Match, and the fans’ version via the club’s poll on X, formerly Twitter.

Meanwhile, in Belgium, top scorer last season, Arokodare, has continued from where he stopped last season with a goal.

The Nigerian giant came off the bench as a super-sub, with his club Genk already 2-0 down. But just three minutes after coming on, Arokodare, also known as Tea, pulled one back to give the club hope heading into the final 20 minutes.

Nevertheless, the goal proved to be not enough as hosts Standard Liege held on to claim all three points at home.

That goal was Arokodare’s first of the campaign in the three-week-old Jupiler season as he looks to better the 21 he scored last term.

Elsewhere in the Jupiler, defensive midfielder Raphael Onyedika was a second half substitute as Club Brugge overcame 10-man Cercle Brugge 2-0 in the derby match 24 hours earlier.

In the Super Lig, little-known Anthony Dennis was one of the heroes as Goztepe went, saw and conquered Ibrahim Olawoyin’s Rizespor 3-0.

Dennis, 21, came off the bench to seal the win with his first goal of the season and the club’s third of the game for an emphatic statement win.

Naija Stars Abroad is up and running for the season, and all eyes will now shift to next weekend when some of the major leagues return, especially the Premier League.