Soccernet.ng monitored dozens of matches on Wednesday, February 21st, potentially involving Nigerian players.
The most impressive highlights are:
Venezuela
Osinachi Cristian Ebele scores from the penalty spot to give Nacional the lead and send the club away in the second round of the CONMEBOL Libertadores at the Estadio Polideportivo Misael Delgado in Valencia, Venezuela. He led the club to a 2-0 victory over Academia Puerto Cabello.
Ebele joined Uruguayan giants Nacional on loan from Plaza Colonia in January and made his debut for the club in a 2-1 win against River Plate at the weekend.
The 25-year-old striker will be happy with his goal contribution in his first appearance against CONMEBOL Libertadores in 1988, when three-time champions Nacional last won the trophy.
Ebele will do his best to help Alvaro Recoba’s team reach the group stages of the competition.
Albania
30-year-old Sodik Olorade Atanda impressed in Elzeni Cizak’s defense in their 2-1 win over Vlaznya Škodar in the first leg of the Cup Round of 16.
The second leg will be held on March 5 at Škodar’s Loro Boric Stadium.
UEFA Champions League
Victor Osimhen scored Napoli’s first goal of 2024 as the Italian champions held Barcelona to a 1-1 draw in the first round of the finals at the Diego Maradona Stadium in Naples.
An hour later, Robert Lewandowski gave the Catalans the lead, and 15 minutes later Osimhen equalized with a wide-footed strike, setting the tone for the second leg in three weeks’ time. Secured.
Injured Super Eagles defender Zaidu Sanusi did not play as Porto scored the winning goal in the last minute to secure a 1-0 victory over Arsenal.
AFC Champions League
Peter Utaka and Japan’s Ventforet Kofu were eliminated from the Asian Champions League after losing 5-1 on aggregate to South Korea’s Ulsan.
Ventforet Kofu lost 2-1 at home last week and lost 3-0 at Ulsan Munsu Soccer Stadium on Wednesday, with Utaka coming on as a substitute in the 55th minute.
Elsewhere, Anthony Nwakaeme and Henry Onyekuru played for Al Fayha, but it was not enough for the club to avoid a 2-0 defeat against Al Nasr.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored the only goal in the first leg, scored again with four minutes left to seal a 3-0 aggregate victory and send Al Feiha out of the competition.
Concacaf Champions Cup
Ibrahim Aliyu provided the assist for Houston Dynamo’s winning goal in their 2-1 away loss to St. Louis City in the first leg of the first round of the Concacaf Champions Cup.
American-born Samuel Oluwabukunmi Adeniran led the Lewes City team.
Both teams will play again next Wednesday to determine who advances to the next round.
