EURO EAGLES: Super Eagles defenders Zaidu Sanusi, Kenneth Omeruo score rare goals as Okoye returns from injury

In what was a COVID-19 ravaged weekend in football, Super Eagles defensive trio of Zaidu Sanusi, Kevin Akpoguma and Kenneth Omeruo kept the Nigerian flavour going in superb fashion alongside Samuel Chukwueze and goalkeeper Maduka Okoye as they made telling contributions for their respective teams.

Euro Eagles takes you through the performances of the aforementioned players amongst others in a very quiet weekend for Super Eagles attackers as defenders stole the show.

There was a rare goal for Super Eagles defender, Sanusi, as FC Porto thrashed their host, Vizela, 0-4 in the Portuguese league on Sunday.

Sanusi, 24, who had neither scored nor assisted a goal for the club for over a year, netted the third goal of the day on 47 minutes to help the Portuguese giants to an easy away win.

The Super Eagles left back played for 75 minutes in what was his ninth game of the season in the Primera Liga.

Samuel Chukwueze was another Super Eagles star who found himself amongst the goals as Villarreal defeated Real Sociedad in the La Liga.

Unlike Sanusi, Chukwueze started the game on the bench before coming on as a second half substitute with the Yellow Submarines leading 1-2. He went on to score his second, and Villarreal's third of the game, of the season in stoppage time.

It was the second goal in as many matches in a matter days for the 22-year-old, who also scored in the eight-goal thriller for the Yellows during their 1-7 win over Atletico Sanluqueno in the cup on Wednesday.

In the Spanish second division, 2013 AFCON winner, Kenneth Omeruo, was the standout performer for his club Leganes as they went, saw and conquered their host Malaga on Saturday.

Omeruo not only helped his club to a clean sheet with a solid defensive display but also led in attack after scoring his first of the season in the 0-2 win. He opened the scoring in the game and featured from start to finish.

Paul Onuachu seems to have rediscovered his scoring boots after the giant forward scored again for Genk.

After he ended goal drought with that goal against Sporting Charleroi last time out, Royal Antwerp left it late to deny Onuachu and his Genk side all three points on Sunday.

He opened the scoring in the game on 32 minutes and was substituted with Genk still ahead in the last 20 minutes of the game. However, 12 minutes later, they let the lead slip as Antwerp stole a point on the road with a late equaliser.

For Onuachu, however, it was a successful outing as his added to his goal tally this season with his 12th of the campaign in his 18th game.

In France, the Ligue 1 took a short break for cup matches but it was only the forgotten Josh Maja who was amongst the goals.

Maja scored the last goal as Bordeaux taught Jumeaux Zouazia a footballing lesson after a 10-0 win in the Coupe de France on Sunday, It was the forward's first appearance of the season for the club.

While Taiwo Awoniyi failed to add to his tally of nine goals despite playing for 64 minutes against Bochum, it was another defender who grabbed the headlines as Kevin Akpoguma proved to be the hero for his club Hoffenhiem.

With Hoffenhiem looking down and out at home to Borussia Monchengladbach, Akpoguma was thrown in by his coach from the bench on the 87th minute and three minutes later, the 26-year-old centre back ensured the spoils are shared as he headed in the equaliser for his second of the season.

Meanwhile, in the Dutch Eredivisie, it wasn't the best of performances from goalkeeper, Maduka Okoye, who made his return from injury in Sparta Rotterdam 2-2 draw against Vitesse on Saturday.

Okoye conceded two goals, one of which was an unfortunate error from the 21-year-old, who played his first game since he was substituted injured in the defeat to Ajax back in November 18.

Cyriel Dessers played for 21 minutes but couldn't help his club Feyenoord as they fell to a 0-2 defeat at home to Ajax on Sunday.