Europa League: Osimhen, Chukwueze, Iheanacho leads Eagles charge

Super Eagles quartet, Victor Osimhen, Samuel Chukwueze, Kelechi Iheanacho and Joe Aribo will be spearheading Nigerian players representation as the UEFA
Europa League group fixtures resume tonight, Thursday October 29.

Osimhen will be gunning for his second outing and first Europa goal as Napoli face home side, Real Sociedad.

The 21-year old made his Europa League, debut playing for 66 minutes and firing blanks as Napoli fell 0-1at home against AZ Alkmaar in their first group game last week.

Coach Gennaro Gattuso will be hoping that his Nigerian import finds his scoring touch as Napoli seek to put their Europa League dream back on track.

Chukwueze will also be in action as Villarreal go on the road trip against Qarabag after played all 90 minutes in the 5-3 home win against Sivasspor last week.

The 21-year old winger has one goal and an assist to his credit in his previous 10 Europa League appearances for the Spanish side.

Iheanacho on his part, will be gunning for his second Europa League goal for Leicester City as The Foxes play away against AEK Athens.

Despite starring for just 71 minutes, the 24-year old striker scored one goal and made two assists in his debut Europa League outing as
Leicester recorded a 3-0 home win over Zorya Lugansk last week.

Back-to-fitness midfielder, Aribo, and his Nigeria teammate, Leon Balogun, will star for Rangers as they play host to Polish side, Lech
Poznan.

Aribo played the last 23 minutes while Balogun starred for 90 minutes in the Gers’ 2-0 win against Standard Liege last week.

It will be Aribo’s 10th Europa appearances with the Nigerian having one goal from the previous nine games, while it will be Balogun’s second.

Nigeria international, Olanrewaju Kayode, will be targetting a winning outing with Sivasspor as they play host to Maccabi Tel Aviv.

The 27-year old striker was on the score sheet last week in Sivasspor’s 5-3 away loss against Villarreal, bringing his Europa League goal haul to three in eight appearances.

New Eagles wing sensation, Chidera Ejuke, will be gunning for his second Europa League appearance for CSKA Moscow in their home tie against Dinamo Zagreb.

The skillful 22-year old made his Europa League debut last week playing for 45 minutes in the 1-1 away draw with Austrian club Wolfsberger AC. It would be recalled that Ejuke recently won his first international cap for Nigeria.

Meanwhile, Nigeria midfielder, Ramon Azeez’s hopes of Europa League debut for Granada remains a doubt as they host PAOK Thessaloniki.

The 25-year old is nursing a muscle fiber tear injury which has kept him out of action in recent times. He is yet to star in any European competition.