Obafemi Martins, Odion Ighalo: Nigerian players to clash in Chinese Super League game

Two Nigerians go up against each other when Shanghai Shenhua will play host to Changchun Yatai in a Chinese Super League fixture

Nigeria internationals Obafemi Martins and Odion Ighalo will clash in the opening fixture of the Chinese Super League.

Martins who plays for Shanghai Shenhua will play host to Ighalo’s Changchun Yatai on Friday, March 2 at the HongKou Football Stadium.

Odion Ighalo for Changchun Yatai

Ighalo has made 27 appearances and scored a total of 15 goals for since his move from English Premier League outfit Watford to Changchun Yatai.

 

Ighalo’s goals helped Yatai to a seventh placed finish in the 2017 season.

Obafemi Martins for Shanghai Shenhua

Obafemi Martins has scored a total of 28 goals in 52 League appearances since he moved to Shanghai Shenhua from American outfit Seattle Sounders.

 

Martins has made a total of 12 appearances in the Chinese FA Cup and has scored 12 goals, including the winner in the 2017 final that earned Shenhua a place in the Asian Champions League.

Martins scored 13 goals in the league as Shenhua finished 11 in the Chinese Super League last season.

Super Eagles

Both strikers will aim to impress Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr, as he is set to name his squad for friendly matches against Poland and Serbia, ahead to the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Ighalo was called up by Rohr for the 2018 World Cup qualifiers, while Martins has not played for the Super Eagles since 2015.

 

Martins has scored a total of 18 goals in 42 appearances for the Super Eagles, while Ighalo has contributed four goals in 15 appearances for the Super Eagles.