A thrilling UEFA Europa League night saw Nigerian players take center stage as key performers delivered assists and goals to push their teams toward the last 16.
The spotlight fell on Ola Aina, Bamidele Yusuf, and Collins Sor, who all made strong contributions for their respective clubs in Europe’s second-tier continental competition.
From assists to decisive goals, the night showed why Nigerian talents remain influential in European football.
Each player stepped up when their team needed impact performances to reach the next round of the tournament.
Ola Aina Assist Helps Nottingham Forest FC Progress
Ola Aina delivered a valuable contribution for Nottingham Forest during their clash with Fenerbahce SK.
Coming off the bench at halftime, the defender added fresh energy to Forest’s defense and attack balance.
The Super Eagles defender provided a clever assist in the second half after Forest had fallen under pressure.
Although Fenerbahce scored twice through Kerem Akturkoglu, Forest maintained control over the tie thanks to their strong first-leg advantage.
Forest’s attacking response came through Callum Hudson-Odoi, who scored from close range to calm nerves.
The English club eventually secured qualification to the Round of 16 with a 4-2 aggregate victory, proving that consistency across both legs was key to their success.
Yusuf Shines in Ferencváros Comeback Victory
In Hungary, Bamidele Yusuf produced another strong performance for Ferencvarosi TC against Ludogorets Razgrad. The forward created chances with sharp movement and intelligent passing in attacking areas.
Yusuf recorded an important assist in the 30th minute as Ferencváros fought to overturn their deficit.
The Hungarian side needed quick goals after falling behind in the tie, and they responded with energetic attacking football in front of their home supporters.
Goals from Gavriel Kanichowsky and Kristoffer Zachariassen completed the comeback victory.
Their performance helped Ferencváros maintain an impressive unbeaten home run in Europa League knockout matches.
Although Ludogorets controlled possession for long spells, Ferencváros stayed compact defensively.
Goalkeeper Dávid Gróf made crucial saves, while attacking support from Mariano Gómez helped secure the result.
Sor Scores in Exciting Genk vs Dinamo Thriller
Belgium provided another memorable performance as KRC Genk faced GNK Dinamo Zagreb in a high-scoring contest. Collins Sor scored his first Europa League goal of the season in a dramatic 3-3 draw.
Sor’s equaliser helped Genk maintain momentum in the tie before extra time decided the outcome.
Genk eventually advanced 6-4 on aggregate after an intense battle that featured several momentum swings.
Dinamo initially fought back strongly after trailing from the first leg. Goals from Luka Stojkovic kept the Croatian side in contention, including a powerful long-range strike that forced extra time.
However, Genk’s attacking threat remained constant. Junya Ito scored a crucial goal to swing momentum back to the Belgian side.
Dinamo’s chances were damaged when Stojković was sent off after a VAR review, allowing Genk to finish the job late through Daan Heymans.
Mixed Results for Other Nigerian Players in Europe
Elsewhere, Nigerian representation remained strong despite mixed results.
FK Crvena Zvezda lost 2-0 to LOSC Lille, eliminating Franklin Tebo’s team 2-1 on aggregate.
In the Czech Republic, FC Viktoria Plzen drew 1-1 with Panathinaikos FC. Salim Lawal played 81 minutes before penalties decided the tie, with Plzen exiting after a narrow shootout defeat.
In Germany, Celtic FC defeated VfB Stuttgart 1-0, but Kelechi Iheanacho and his team could not recover from the first-leg deficit.