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Cape Town - It was a night of mixed outcomes for Nigerian players in the Europa League with Wilfred Ndidi and Olarenwaju Kayode the leading lights on Thursday night.
Kayode scored in successive matches against AS Roma but it was not enough as his Austria Vienna side lost 2-4 at home to Italian side, AS Roma.
KRC Genk midfielder, Wilfred Ndidi, was also on target but his powerful header did little to earn his side a share of the spoils as they lost 3-5 to hosts Athletic Bilbao.
It was a night to forget for Super Eagles centre-back Leon Balogun who was making his début in the competition. His Mainz O5 side were battered 1-6 by Belgian side, RSC Anderlecht, in Belgium.
Nosa Igiebor and Fred Friday both made cameos for their sides in a goalless draw between Maccabi Tel Aviv and AZ Alkmaar. Igiebor came on in the 71st minute for Tel Aviv while Friday was introduced by AZ five minutes later.
Emmanuel Emenike’s Fenerbache did well to beat English side Manchester United 2-1 but the burly Nigerian had to do with a place on the bench but was introduced as a 68th-minute substitute for Volkan Sen.
Elderson Echiejile made the Standard Liege starting line up as they triumph 3-0 away at Greek side Panathinaikos. The left-back was however substituted in the 46th minute of the game.
It was a night to forget for the Nigerian duo of Moses Simon and Anderson Esiti as their Belgian side KAA Gent were hammered 3-5 by visiting Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk. Esiti started and finished the game while Simon who got the assist for Gent’s first goal got substituted on 77 minutes.
John Ogu was an unused substitute as his Israeli side Hapoel Beer Sheva side lost 0-2 away to Czech side Sparta Prague. Nigerian striker Anthony Nwakaeme was not listed for the game by Beer Sheva.
Turkish side Osmanlispor FK won 2-1 over their hosts Villareal with Nigerian striker Aminu Umar starting for the Turks. Though he did not score, he was quite decent on the night and had a few chances to add to Osmanlispor’s goals.
