The air was pregnant with expectations. Two of Nigeria’s biggest football prospects took on each other in the Belgian Jupiler Pro League on Saturday night in a fight for championship play-off places.

Gift Orban of KAA Gent and Victor Boniface of Royale Union Saint Gilloise set the stage for a showdown of Nigeria’s emerging talent on the European stage. Far from home, the two have become stars this season and are now fan favourites at their respective clubs.

Hence, it made sense to travel to see them play each other in the East Flanders city of Ghent where Orban has called home since January when he made a move from Stabaek in Norway. Orban had scored nine goals in seven League matches, alongside his record fastest hat-trick against Basaksehir in the Europa Conference League.

In Ghent, there is a lot of hope on Orban leading the Buffalos to the final of the third tier of European football this season. The 20-year-old Nigerian has quickly carved an image of a hard worker.

“He brought energy and a killer instinct in front of goal to Gent,” Sander De Graeve, a journalist with the Het Laatste Nieuws, told Soccernet.ng. “He has the speed, but he needs to improve his headers.”


And in his compatriot Boniface, he faced a juggernaut forward who has himself led Union to the quarter finals of the Europa League and has scored seven goals in the Belgian first division. Despite his burly 1.93metres frame, the big striker is good with his feet.

“If Victor Boniface is good, Union will be good,” said journalist Francois Garitte of DH Sports. “He is for the moment the best player in the Union team.”

Moments after kick off, Boniface mesmerised the Gent defenders before setting up a pass to Amani Lazare who lost his marker and shot into the roof of the net. It was a momentary silencing of the home fans inside the 20,000 Ghelamco Arena.

But the home team did not give up. Orban fought, huffed and puffed, fell down at tackles, heckled the referee for favourable calls and kept prodding at the Union defenders. He was denied of clear-cut opportunities in the game but his work rate put the opponents always at alert.

Union went into the break with a slim lead that they needed to protect by all means possible. The second half proved more difficult as the hosts dominated play, pushing for the equalizer.

Boniface was subbed off on 65 minutes, the Nigerian left the field fuming in disbelief. He wanted to fight for the side and perhaps get his goal. However, Union conceded a penalty that was confirmed by VAR and Hugo Cuypers scored the equalizer on 80 minutes to send the home fans into delirious celebrations.

Orban was hauled off shortly afterwards. He left the pitch in anger. He too wanted to prove himself and continue his legend.

“As a striker, I am not happy when I don’t score,” he told Soccernet after the game. The youngster stayed off the record during our conversation as he had been instructed by his agent to keep away from the media for the moment due to the enormous attention his performances have drawn. As he walked through the mixed zone on the way to his car, Orban gave a glimpse of his intensity and will to win always.

“Gift is really a quality player. When he touches the ball, you can see that he has good qualities and I wish him the best for the future,” Union defender Siebe Van der Heyden, who had the duty of holding him off for much of the game, told Soccernet.

Boniface emerged into the mixed zone later and talked about his team and how they are more important than any personal accolades.

“It was a difficult game coming to play Gent away from home,” Boniface said. “They are fighting for the top four, so games like this are always difficult.”

Both players are managed by the same agency owned by Atta Aneke, a Norwegian-based Nigerian. Boniface said that he has tried to bring the younger Orban under his wings since he moved to Belgium this year. “Since he moved here, we communicate, we talk almost everyday. I try to ask him how his life is going,” he said.

On a night of intense anticipation, two young Nigerian players put the country of Belgium on its feet. They shared the points, and there’s still a lot to play for.

Both boys will play in European Cup quarter finals this week. Gent host West Ham United in the Europa Conference League while Royale Union Saint Gilloise travel to Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League.

The season is pregnant for both as they continue to carve their legend in Belgium. But as noted by their agent, their quality may not see them play in the country for much longer.