IT was mixed results for Super Eagles of Nigeria stars in the UEFA Europa League tonight, with two of them losing with their clubs and one emerging victorious.
While Kelechi Iheanacho and Terem Moffi lost with Celtic and Nice respectively, Zaidu Sanusi won with FC Porto.
Iheanacho, who has been in good form since joining Celtic in September, could not add to his two goals and one assist in his previous four appearances as the Scottish champions were beaten 2-0 at home by Braga.
The former Manchester City striker, who will turn 29 years old tomorrow, was making his third Celtic start in all competitions.
Iheanacho played all 90 minutes against Braga and even had a goal controversially ruled out in the 51st for handball after VAR intervention.
In Turkey, Moffi came off the bench for the final half-hour but was unable to score like he did last week in the competition, as Nice were beaten 2-1 by Fenerbahce.
It was positive in Portugal, however, as Sanusi continued his return from a long-term injury to help Porto defeat Crvena Zvezda 2-1.
The Nigeria left-back featured for the full game and was one of Porto’s best players as the Portuguese giants secured their second victory in as many games in this season’s Europa League.
Also in the competition tonight, Aston Villa defeated Feyenoord 2-0 in the Netherlands courtesy of goals from Emiliano Buendia and John McGinn.
The other English club in the Europa League were not so fortunate as Nottingham Forest lost 3-2 at home to FC Midtjylland to continue their dismal run under Ange Postecoglou.
With the result, Postecoglou has become the first permanent Nottingham Forest manager for 100 years to fail to win any of his first six games in charge of the club (two draws, four losses), since John Baynes failed to win any of his first seven games in August/September 1925.
In other Europa League fixtures tonight, Lyon defeated Salzburg 2-0 in France, Sturm Graz beat Rangers 2-1 in Austria and Real Betis won 2-0 at Ludogorets.
RESULTS
Basel 2-0 Stuttgart
Celta Vigo 3-1 PAOK
Porto 2-1 Crvena Zvezda
Feyenoord 0-2 Aston Villa
Genk 0-1 Ferencvaros
Lyon 2-0 Salzburg
M. Tel-Aviv 1-3 GNK Dinamo
Nottingham Forest 2-3 Midtjylland
Sturm Graz 2-1 Rangers
Roma 0-1 Lille
Fenerbahçe 2-1 Nice
Viktoria Plzeň 3-0 Malmö
Celtic 0-2 Braga
Ludogorets 0-2 Real Betis
FCSB 0-2 Young Boys
Bologna 1-1 Freiburg
Panathinaikos 1-2 Go Ahead Eagles
Brann 1-0 Utrecht