Europa League: Boniface, Tella, Lookman qualify as Chukwueze’s Milan head home

It was a bittersweet night for fans of Nigerian football, as the last round of matches in the UEFA Europa League (UEL) quarter-finals unfolded with mixed outcomes for Super Eagles stars.

Newly crowned Bundesliga champions Victor Boniface and Nathan Tella came out tops for Bayer Leverkusen, despite playing a 1-1 draw against West Ham United at the London Stadium.

The Die Werkself had gotten a 2-0 victory over David Moyes’ West Ham in the first leg of the encounter courtesy of goals from Boniface and Jonas Hofmann at the Bay Arena last week.

Although Boniface didn’t get to start tonight, his compatriot Tella was given the nod, and was in the mixup when Michail Antonio scored for the Hammers in the 13th minute.

It appeared as though the German champions were going to taste their first defeat of the season, but Xabi Alonso’s poignant introductions of Boniface and Jeremie Frimpong eventually paid off, as the latter scored a deflected 89th-minute goal to preserve their 44 matches unbeaten streak and send them to the semi-finals on 3-1 aggregate.

Lookman and Chukwueze’s cameo in Serie A’s dominance

Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman was an 80th-minute substitute, as the Gli Orobici held on to secure a 3-1 aggregate win over Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool at the Gewiss Stadium.

The Gian Piero Gasperini-led side shocked the Reds 3-0 at Anfield last Wednesday before Mohammed Salah’s first-half penalty sealed off the goals in the encounter.

It was a sad outing for Samuel Chukwueze who was on the losing side tonight, as AC Milan were eliminated from the Europa League by fellow Serie A side AS Roma.

Gianluca Mancini and Paulo Dybala both scored inside the first 25 minutes at the Stadio Olimpico to increase Roma’s aggregate score to 3-0 after their 1-0 victory over the Rossoneri last Wednesday.

Chukwueze did come on in the 46th minute, but the ex-Villareal winger couldn’t do much as Milan bowed out of the competition despite Matteo Gabbia’s 85th-minute consolation strike.