Nigeria forwards, Umar Sadiq and Chidera Ejuke both featured for their club as Valencia edged past Sevilla with a 1-0 victory at the Mestalla in the La Liga clash.
Sadiq, who was named in Valencia’s starting lineup, played for 60 minutes before being substituted.
His Super Eagles teammate Ejuke, on the other hand, was introduced in the 66th minute as Sevilla searched for an equaliser.
It was Spanish forward Javi Guerra who grabbed the headlines, scoring the only goal of the match in the final minute of first-half stoppage time.
The win marked Valencia’s third consecutive victory in the league, following a surprise 2-1 triumph over defending champions Real Madrid in their previous outing.
That run of form has now propelled them to 12th on the La Liga table, with 37 points from 29 matches.
Sadiq, who has now made 11 league appearances this season for Valencia, remains on four goals.
Ejuke, on his part, made his 20th league appearance of the season for Sevilla.
The winger, known for his flair and direct style, has contributed two goals so far in the campaign.
Although he couldn’t influence the scoreline against Valencia, his energy added a fresh spark to Sevilla’s attack late in the game.
For Sevilla, the defeat was their fourth in a row, further deepening their crisis in what has been an underwhelming season.
They now sit just behind Valencia in 13th place, one point adrift on 36 points.
As both teams look ahead to the final stretch of the season, Sadiq and Ejuke will be aiming for strong finishes, not just to boost their club form, but to remain in contention for Nigeria’s national team selections ahead of upcoming international fixtures.
