Several Nigeria stars like Alhassan Yusuf, Leon Balogun, Joe Aribo and Henry Onyekuru will play in the group stage of the UEFA Europa League after their respective clubs came through the playoffs.
Tonight, Alhassan Yusuf’s Antwerp overturned a 4-2 loss at Omonia Nicosia courtesy of a 2-0 home win before they edged past the team parading Shehu Abdullahi and Iyayi Atiemwen 3-2 on penalties.
Atiemwen scored his own kick in the penalty shootout for Omonia Nicosia.
Alhassan Yusuf played the entire extra-time for Antwerp.
Scottish champions Rangers parading Joe Aribo and Leon Balogun held hosts Alashkert to a scoreless draw to go through 1-0 on aggregate.
Aribo played the entire game, while Balogun was an unused sub.
Onyekuru’s new club Olympiacos also advanced to the group stage of the Europa League at the expense of Slovan Bratislava of Slovakia 5-2 on aggregate.
Onyekuru started and scored his first goal for Olympiacos.
Bratislava paraded former Eagles star Rabiu Ibrahim with fellow Nigerian, Ezekiel Henty scoring on the night.
Ubong Ekpai hit target for Slavia Praha with a long-distance rocket, but the Czech champions still crashed out of the competition to Polish club Legia Warszawa.
