The first international break of the season has been and gone, seeing many stars across the EFL represent their countries in the Nations League, World Cup Qualification and U21 Euros Qualification action.
Some players were not given much time on the field, such as Leeds United‘s new signing Ao Tanaka who only played 19 minutes in a game against China. However, some reached personal milestones, offered man-of-the-match performances and showed glimpses of what’s to come once they return home. Let’s take a look at five of those players.
Lewis Koumas, Stoke City
What a season Lewis Koumas has had so far. It may only be five games in, but he has hit the ground running in his first move away from Liverpool. He scored his first-ever league goal in The Potters’ game against West Bromwich Albion and followed that up three days later with a brilliant performance in the 5-0 demolition of Middlesbrough in the EFL Cup.
New Wales boss Craig Bellamy, who left Burnley this summer to take up the role, gave the 18-year-old his first competitive start in a Nations League game against Montenegro. Wales won the game thanks to Sheffield United‘s Kieffer Moore and Harry Wilson, with Koumas showing promise in heavy rainfall before being subbed off at halftime, reportedly due to an injury.
Steven Schumacher’s side will hope that the knock is not too serious and that his new winger can recover in time to play Oxford United this weekend. The Staffordshire club have three games in the next week, with a third-round EFL Cup tie against Fleetwood Town and a Friday night game at home to Hull City also looming around the corner.
Lucas Akins, Mansfield Town
Akins was the leading man for his Grenada side across the break, finally breaking his 14-game run without finding the net. His last goal came against Bradford City in March and has played 1,299 minutes between finding the net at Valley Parade and finally breaking his duck against Saint Martin in the CONCACAF Nations League on Saturday.
The 35-year-old scored The Spice Boys’ only goal against Saint Lucia in the second of their group matches but came up short 2-1 to leave them third in the League B Group B table. Bolton Wanderers defender Chris Forino-Jones scored the opener for the away side who also had Cheltenham Town‘s Arkell Jude-Boyd at their disposal.
Plymouth Argyle loanee Ben Waine also scored on New Zealand duty against the USA, Nigel Clough will hope that both strikers will carry their international form across the Atlantic with them as they face Cambridge United in an early kick-off this weekend. Mansfield have had a solid start to life in League One, currently residing in 14th after four games played.
Sean Roughan, Lincoln City
The defender scored his first-ever international goal at Under-21 level for Ireland sas they lost ground in the pursuit of an automatic qualification spot to next summer’s Euros. The Imps number 23 played a full 180 minutes for the Young Boys in Green across the break as they faced Turkey and Latvia.
Roughan found the net in both games but had his effort chalked off by the linesman’s flag in Istanbul. Peterborough United‘s Sam Curtis found the winner for Jim Crawford’s side with six minutes to go to keep within touching distance of Italy in Group A. The former Southampton triallist then opened the scoring at home against Latvia but the Baltic side gained a 2-1 lead before Bristol City‘s Sinclair Armstrong secured a vital point in their battle with Norway over the only play-off spot in the group.
Michael Skubala’s side have kept up with the pace they set last season to sit sixth in the League One standings at this early stage and will face fellow play-off contenders Peterborough this weekend. Roughan has been a big part of City’s early season form, with fellow defenders Paudie O’Connor and Adam Jackson scoring five of their nine goals so far.
Daniel Ballard, Sunderland
Defenders were also crucial for Northern Ireland’s scoring chances over the break, with Daniel Ballard and West Brom’s Paddy McNair the only players to find the net across their games with Luxembourg and Bulgaria. Both came against the former side, with Michael O’Neill’s men losing away to the latter a few days later.
Millwall‘s George Saville delivered the ball into the box, with The Black Cats centre-back finding the bottom corner with his foot to double the advantage for The Green and White Army. Despite winning 15 duels across the game with Bulgaria, it was not enough to stop the Balkans’ side from finding a crucial goal, which knocked Northern Ireland down to third and out of the promotion spots in their Nations League group alongside Belarus.
The 24-year-old has only played twice for his club this season, with a full ninety against Portsmouth and a substitute appearance against Burnley. Ajibola Alese was Regis Le Bris’ first choice to partner Luke O’Nien at the heart of defence but an ankle injury to the former Accrington Stanley loanee has ruled him out for the next few weeks.
Edo Kayembe, Watford
The surprise package of the Championship in its formative stages has been Watford. They leapt out of the gates in large part thanks to Edo Kayembe and Tom Cleverley would be undoubtedly happy to see his midfielder continue his blistering form on international duty.
The 26-year-old’s DR Congo side were in AFCON Qualification matches against Ethiopia and Guinea and Kayembe scored the decisive goal against the latter. His neat finish inside the six-yard box caught out keeper Ibrahim Kone and put The Leopards at the top of Group I. Kayembe came on in the second half against Ethiopia and was present for both goals.
Watford play Coventry City this weekend and are given a break in midweek due to Manchester City’s involvement in the Champions League. The Hornets face Norwich City ahead of heading to the Etihad Stadium as they seek to keep their early-season form going.
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