Kevin Schade delivered a scintillating performance on Saturday as Brentford overpowered Leicester City 4-1 in a dominant Premier League display at the Gtech Community Stadium, Soccernet.ng reports.
The German international bagged a sensational hat-trick and registered an assist to ensure the Bees maintained their impressive form.
Meanwhile, Leicester, led by caretaker manager Ben Dawson after the dismissal of Steve Cooper, were left searching for answers.
Dawson restored Nigeria international Wilfred Ndidi to his familiar defensive midfield role, but the Super Eagles star found himself powerless to stop Schade’s brilliance.
Leicester took an early lead through Facundo Buonanotte in the 21st minute, but Schade quickly turned the tide. Four minutes later, the 23-year-old set up Yoane Wissa for Brentford’s equaliaer.
By the half-hour mark, Schade struck to make it 2-1 before doubling his tally deep into first-half injury time, finishing off a neat assist from Mikkel Damsgaard.
Schade completed his first Premier League hat-trick on the hour mark, showcasing his elite finishing ability with a well-placed strike.
Despite flashes of resilience from Ndidi and his Leicester teammates, the Foxes succumbed to their seventh league defeat of the campaign, unable to contain Schade’s attacking ability.
Schade’s International allegiance
Born in Potsdam, Germany, to a Nigerian father and a German mother, Schade was once eligible to represent Nigeria.
However, his appearance for Germany in October’s UEFA Nations League clash against the Netherlands has cap-tied him to Die Mannschaft.
After initially serving as a late replacement for an injured Robin Koch, Schade secured his allegiance by coming off the bench in the 77th minute of Germany’s 1-0 victory.
The former Nigeria prospect has cemented his place as a key figure in both Brentford’s lineup and Germany’s national team setup, leaving Super Eagles fans to wonder what might have been.