A number of Nigerian footballers delivered eye-catching performances across the Europa League and Conference League on Thursday night, Soccernet.ng reports.
In Belgium, Basel winger Philip Otele ended his eight-game goal drought but could not prevent his side from slipping to a 2-1 defeat to Genk.
The hosts flew out of the blocks, taking the lead in the 14th minute through Hyun-Gyu Oh before teenage midfielder Konstantinos Karetsas made it 2-0 on the stroke of halftime.
Basel, struggling for rhythm but desperate to stay within touching distance of the playoff spots, resumed the second half with greater intent. Otele struck in the 57th minute, calmly finishing inside the area to revive hopes of a comeback.
The Swiss side dominated thereafter but Genk, compact and composed, held firm to secure their third Europa League victory of the season.
Basel remain 24th on the overall table with six points from five matches, leaving next week’s clash with Aston Villa crucial to their survival in the competition. Genk, now ninth with 10 points, can push into the top eight with victory over Midtjylland.
Otele’s goal, his seventh of the campaign alongside three assists, continues to strengthen his growing reputation, with several European clubs monitoring the 26-year-old’s progress.
In Rotterdam, Kelechi Iheanacho returned to Celtic’s matchday squad for the first time since missing over a month through injury. Though unused, the Super Eagles striker watched his side secure a commanding 3-1 win over Feyenoord.
The Dutch champions went ahead early through Ayase Ueda, but Celtic responded through Hyun-Jun Yang before Reo Hatate punished a defensive error to give the visitors a halftime lead. Substitute Benjamin Nygren sealed the result with a spectacular late strike.
Elsewhere, Terem Moffi endured a difficult night during Nice’s 3-0 defeat to FC Porto. The Nigerian forward failed to find his rhythm and was withdrawn in the 68th minute.
Porto’s goals included a late effort from Spanish-Nigerian forward Samu Aghehowa, adding to Gabri Veiga’s brace.
In Turkey, Yusuf Bamidele impressed for Ferencváros in their 1-1 draw with Fenerbahçe, producing three attempts on goal during his busy 74-minute showing.
In the Czech Republic, Viktoria Plzen and Freiburg battled to a spirited goalless draw featuring three players of Nigerian descent: Rafiu Durosinmi for Plzen, Junior Adamu for Freiburg, and German-Nigerian goalkeeper Noah Atubolu.
In the UEFA Conference League, Super Eagles goalkeeper Francis Uzoho delivered a commanding performance as Omonia Nicosia claimed a 2-0 win over Dynamo Kyiv, their first group-stage victory of the season.
After a frustrating run of three winless games, Omonia seized control through Willy Semedo’s 34th-minute penalty. Angelos Neofytou struck again in the 59th minute, giving the Cypriots a comfortable cushion.
Uzoho, restored as Omonia’s preferred goalkeeper in the competition, made four important saves and showed improved command of his area. Despite receiving a yellow card for time-wasting, the Nigerian’s contribution proved decisive as Omonia kept their first clean sheet in four matches.
His compatriot Elijah Ogundana featured for 63 minutes for Dynamo Kyiv before being substituted.
