By Kayode John
Super Eagles defender, Bright Osayi-Samuel, was sent off late in Fenerbahce’s 2-1 victory over Union Saint-Gilloise in their UEFA Europa League clash in Turkey on Thursday night.
Returning from a knee injury that had kept him out for over a month, Osayi-Samuel was subbed on in the 65th minute.
However, he was issued his first caution in the 87th minute and was sent off three minutes later after committing a foul that led to a penalty.
The visitors, who were also earlier reduced to 10 men in the 73rd minute, pulled a goal back through Ross Sykes in the 93rd minute.
Super Eagles striker Cyriel Dessers was impressive as Rangers secured a 2-0 victory in their Europa League opener at Malmo.
The win is Rangers’ first-ever victory on Swedish soil and Nigeria international Dessers played a part in the opening goal.
Inside 60 seconds, Dessers broke in behind, rounded Johan Dahlin in goal and struck the base of the post from an angle. Nedim Bajrami was alert and, as the ball rolled perfectly into his path, he gladly stroked home his first Rangers goal.
Substitute Ross McCausland stepped up late on with a low strike to secure a crucial win that got Rangers’ Europa League campaign off to an excellent start.
In Italy, Roma and Athletico Bilbao had to settle for a point apiece in a 1-1 draw at the Stadio Olimpico.
Artem Dovbyk broke the deadlock of a cagey encounter on 32 minutes by nodding down Evan Ndicka’s cross to the far post to put the hosts into the lead.
But Ernesto Valverde’s side struck back in the closing stages as Aitor Paredes levelled by heading home from Unai Nuñez’s flick-on.
Ajax ran out comfortable 4-0 winners over Besiktaş at the Johan Cruyff Arena.
The Dutch side opened the scoring on the half-hour mark when Kian Fitz-Jim slid home a loose ball at the far post.
Mika Godts put the hosts further ahead early into the second half with a sweeping finish from Bertrand Traoré’s cutback.
It was soon three for the Eredivisie giants from Kenneth Taylor’s drilled finish on the edge of the penalty area. Godts doubled his tally on the rebound to meet Christian Rasmussen’s cutback from the right side.
Nigerian striker, Gift Orban, was benched as Lyon returned to continental action with a 2-0 win over Olympiacos. They took the lead in the second half when Ainsley Maitland-Niles found Rayan Cherki in a crowded penalty area and the France U-21 international scored. Said Benrahma doubled Lyon’s lead after an assist from Wilfred Zaha.
Tottenham Hotspur were comfortable winners in their delayed Europa League opener on Thursday at home. Spurs got off to the worst possible start when Radu Dragusin was sent off eight minutes into the game after bringing Juninho down.
However, Brennan Johnson put the hosts ahead in the 12th minutes and Pape Matar Sarr doubled their lead in the 52nd minute. Dominik Solanke sealed the win in the 68th minute for the club.
Results
Fenerbahce 2-1 Union St.Gilloise
Malmo 0-2 Rangers
Ajax 4-0 Besiktas
Eintracht Frankfurt 3-3 Viktoria Plzen
FCSB 4-1 RFS
Lyon 2-0 Olympiacos
Roma 1-1 Athletic Club
Braga 2-1 Maccabi Tel Aviv
Tottenham Hotspur 3-0 Qarabag FK
