By Korede James
Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen scored for Galatasaray in their 2-1 defeat to Ajax on matchday 8 of the UEFA Europa League on Thursday night.
Osimhen has now scored four goals in his last four matches for Galatasaray.
The 26-year-old has scored five goals in six matches in the Europa League this season and 17 goals in 21 appearances in all competitions.
Burkina Faso star Bertrand Traore put Ajax 1-0 up on 23 minutes through an assist by Nigerian forward Chuba Akpom, and Kian Fitz-Jim doubled Ajax’s lead in the 58th minute.
Osimhen then netted a consolation goal for Galatasaray in added time as the Turkish champions finished the group phase in the 14th position, missing out on automatic qualification to the round of 16.
In Scotland, Super Eagles striker Cyriel Dessers made an assist in Rangers’ 2-1 win against Union St. Gilloise as the Glasgow giants squeezed into the round of 16 automatic qualification place with an eighth place finish.
Dessers set up Vaclav Cerny who put Rangers 2-0 ahead in the 55th minute.
His fellow Nigerian international Leon Balogun was not in the Rangers squad for the fixture.
It is Dessers’ first assist in the Europa League this season and also his fourth in all competitions this campaign.
Also on Thursday night, Manchester United defeated FCSB 2-0 to seal automatic qualification in third place, while Tottenham Hotspur finished fourth after a 3-0 home win over Elfsborg.
Diogo Dalot and Kobbie Mainoo struck for Manchester United in Romania as they secured a fifth straight victory, with Nigerian youngster Damola Ajayi coming off the bench to round off the scoring for Spurs.
In other matches, Roma defeated Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0, while Hoffenheim, with Nigeria defender Kevin Akpoguma in acton, edged out Anderlecht 4-3.
Super Eagles midfielder Fisayo Dele-Bashiru featured in Lazio’s 1-0 loss to Sporting Braga as the Italians still finished in the top spot.
The eight teams that qualified automatically to the round of 16 are Lazio, Athletic Bilbao, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Eintracht Frankfurt, Lyon, Olympiacos and Rangers.
The likes of Fenerbahce, FC Porto, AS Roma, Anderlecht, Galatasaray, Ajax, Real Sociedad, and Midtjylland will feature in the play-offs.
RESULTS
Maccabi Tel-Aviv 0-1 Porto
Ferencváros 4-3 AZ Alkmaar
Dynamo Kyiv 1-0 RFS
Midtjylland 2-2 Fenerbahçe
Athletic Club 3-1 Viktoria Plzeň
Nice 1-1 Bodø/Glimt
Anderlecht 3-4 Hoffenheim
Twente 1-0 Beşiktaş
FCSB 0-2 Manchester United
Roma 2-0 Frankfurt
Ajax 2-1 Galatasaray
Rangers 2-1 Union SG
Tottenham 3-0 Elfsborg
Slavia Praha 2-2 Malmö
Real Sociedad 2-0 PAOK
Braga 1-0 Lazio
Olympiacos 3-0 Qarabağ
Lyon 1-1 Ludogorets
ROUND OF 16 QUALIFIERS
Lazio
Athletic Bilbao,
Manchester United
Tottenham Hotspur
Eintracht Frankfurt
Lyon
Olympiacos
Rangers
PLAY-OFFS QUALIFIERS:
Bodoe/Glimt
Anderlecht
FCSB
Ajax
Real Sociedad
Galatasaray
Roma
Viktoria Plzen
Ferencvaros
Porto
AZ Alkmaar
Midtjylland
Union St. Gilloise
PAOK
FC Twente
Fenerbahce
