Moffi hits hat-trick, Chukwueze scores in Villarreal defeat to Barcelona

NIGERIAN forward Terem Moffi was the hero for Lorient on Sunday, scoring thrice in their 4-1 win against Bordeaux to boost their chances of surviving in Ligue 1.

The Super Eagles hopeful scored his first goal in the 20th minute to add to Yoane Wissa’s 18th minute opener.

Moffi made it 3-0 two minutes before half-time and completed his first-ever Ligue 1 hat-trick in the 80th minute to make it 4-0.

Issouf Sissoko pulled one back for Bordeaux in the 81st minute but Lorient got the win that took them four points above the relegation zone.

Moffi’s compatriot Samuel Kalu made his return from injury as a 54th minute substitute for Bordeaux, replacing Jean Michael Seri.

Moffi, 21, has now scored 14 Ligue 1 goals in 28 appearances this season.
Also on Sunday but in Spain, Samuel Chukwueze scored a brilliant goal against Barcelona.

The Super Eagles forward’s goal was not enough to prevent defeat though as the Yellow Submarine sank 2-1 to the LaLiga title contenders.

Chukwueze struck with a superb left-foot finish in the 26th minute, but Barcelona equalised two minutes later through Antoine Griezmann, who then scored the winner in the 35th minute.

The Nigerian and his teammates made an impressive effort to go level but they were undone by a red card issued to Miguel Trigueros in the 65th minute.

The goal was Chukwueze third in his last three LaLiga matches and his fourth in the league for the season.

Despite the defeat Villarreal, who face Arsenal in the semi-final of the Europa League on Thursday, are still in a good position to qualify for Europe. They have 49 points in seventh place, one off fifth-placed Real Sociedad.