Nigeria: Olatunji Hits New Height As Sparta Beat Salzburg in UCL Return After 19 Years

19 September 2024
This Day (Lagos)
By Duro Ikhazuagbewith agency report

Nigerian forward, Victor Olatunji, recorded a goal and an assist as Sparta

Prague secured a dominant 3-0 victory over Red Bull Salzburg in the first round of the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday night.

It was a perfect return to the Champions League for Sparta Prague who have been away from the tournament for almost 19 years. The Czech champions

last appearance in the competition proper came in December 2005 when they finished last in a group containing Arsenal, Ajax and FC Thun.

The 25-year-old Olatunji became only the third African player to score and assist in his UEFA Champions League debut, following in the footsteps of Daniel Cousin in 2007 (for Rangers against Lyon) and Serge Aurier in 2015 (for PSG against Shakhtar). He's the first Nigerian player to achieve this feat.

After such a long wait Sparta needed just 107 seconds to take the lead at home to Salzburg through Kaan Kairinen's effort on the rebound.

Olatunji however doubled Sparta's advantage shortly before half-time with a fine volleyed effort.

Then, in the second half, Olatunji supplied the assist for Qazim Laci for Sparta Prague's third. In his 58 minutes of action, Olatunji registered two goal attempts, 14 touches, and won four of his seven duels. The game eventually ended 3-0 in Sparta Prague's favour.

Sparta's win was their first in the Champions League proper since beating Lazio 1-0 in December 2003.

Elsewhere, another debutants, Bologna, ended their first ever Champions League match with a hard-fought point claimed in the goalless draw at home to Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk.

The Italian side last played in Europe's elite competition when they lost in the preliminary round of the 1964-65 European Cup.

In the other matches of the night, Manchester City were held to a goalless draw by Inter Milan while PSG managed a lone goal win over Girona in Paris.

Club Brugge lost 0-3 at home to last year's losing finalist, Borussia Dortmund.

Celtic FC had a goal feast at home with a 5-1 demolition of visiting Slovan Bratislava while Bologna and Shakhtar Donestsk settled for a goalles draw. Action resumes tonight with FC Barcelona and Arsenal away in Monaco and Atalanta respectively.

Results

Bologna 0-0 S'Donetsk

Sp'Prague 3-0 Salzburg

Man. City 0-0 Inter Milan

PSG 1-0 Girona

C'Brugge 0-3 Dortmund

Celtic 5-1 Slo'Bratislava

Today

Feyenoord v Leverkusen

C'Zvezda v Benfica

Atalanta v Arsenal

Monaco v Barcelona

Atlético v RB Leipzig

Brest v Sturm Graz

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