Several Nigerian players were in the spotlight across Europe on Wednesday night as the Europa League and domestic fixtures delivered a mix of goals, drama, and long-awaited comebacks, Soccernet.ng reports.
Iheanacho delivers but Celtic held in Belgrade
Kelechi Iheanacho continued his bright start to life at Celtic, scoring in their Europa League opener against Red Star Belgrade, though the Scottish champions were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw.
Introduced at half-time, Iheanacho wasted no time making an impact. Just six minutes into the restart, the Super Eagles forward latched onto a Benjamin Nygren pass before curling a composed finish into the top corner.
It was Iheanacho’s third direct contribution in three games since joining Brendan Rodgers’ side.
But Celtic’s lead was short-lived. After a cornerkick, Nigerian defender Franklin Uchenna found Marko Arnautovic who powered home a firm finish to restore parity in the 61st minute.
Red Star had carried the greater attacking threat in the first half, with Nemanja Radonjic and Bruno Duarte both testing Kasper Schmeichel, and despite Iheanacho nearly restoring the advantage late on, a draw was a fair outcome.
The result leaves both sides unbeaten this season, with Celtic turning their attention to Hibernian at the weekend while Red Star host FK Radnicki.
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Nigeria’s Otele strikes for Basel in narrow defeat
Philip Otele also found the net in the Europa League, scoring Basel’s consolation in a 2-1 defeat at Freiburg.
The Swiss champions fell behind to Patrick Osterhage’s strike in the 31st minute before Maximilian Eggestein doubled the Bundesliga side’s lead shortly after the break.
Otele, introduced in the 58th minute, made his presence felt by finishing from Leo Leroy’s assist six minutes from time.
Though Basel could not complete the comeback, the 24-year-old winger showed why he should have made the starting lineup for the Swiss side.
Moffi scores in Nice loss to Roma
In France, Terem Moffi was also on target but ended up on the losing side as Nice fell 2-1 to Roma.
The striker, who started on the bench following a disciplinary sanction earlier in the week, converted a penalty in the 77th minute to halve the deficit after goals from Roma defenders Evan Ndicka and Gianluca Mancini.
Despite late pressure from Nice, Gian Piero Gasperini’s side stood firm to take all three points. For Moffi, it was his third goal of the season, a reminder of his efficiency in front of goal even amid off-field distractions.
Sadiq finally returns for Sociedad
Umar Sadiq made his long-awaited return for Real Sociedad, coming off the bench in the closing minutes of their 1-0 La Liga win over Mallorca.
The 27-year-old had not featured for Sociedad since December, spending the second half of last season on loan at Valencia. His introduction in the 85th minute, replacing Ander Barrenetxea, marked his first competitive appearance of the campaign.
With Sociedad pushing on in both domestic and European fronts, Sadiq’s return offers a valuable option in attack for the Spanish club.
Ndidi back for Besiktas
In Turkey, Wilfred Ndidi made his comeback from injury as Besiktas recorded an emphatic 4-0 away league victory at Kayserispor.
The midfielder, who had been sidelined since Nigeria’s World Cup qualifier against South Africa, played 66 minutes before being replaced by Yilmaz. By then, Besiktas were cruising thanks to a Rafa Silva hat-trick and a goal from Tammy Abraham.
The win lifted the Istanbul giants to ninth in the Super Lig table with nine points from five games, while Ndidi’s return eased concerns after his recent absence. Head coach Sergen Yalçın expressed relief at having the summer signing available again.
Onyedika injury scare in Belgium thriller
Raphael Onyedika’s night ended prematurely as Club Brugge were held 5-5 in a chaotic Pro League clash with Westerlo.
The 23-year-old midfielder limped off after just 16 minutes, raising concerns for both club and country. His teammates were left to endure a rollercoaster evening as Brugge fought back from two goals down to lead 3-2, fell behind again, and salvaged a point in stoppage time courtesy of an Emin Bayram own goal and subsequent redemption strike.
Brugge remain third in the standings, but attention now turns to Onyedika’s fitness with Champions League fixtures looming.