Europa League: Lookman, Boniface inch closer to final with Atalanta, Leverkusen

Three Nigerian players, Ademola Lookman, Victor Boniface, and Nathan Tella, are successful the moving to diagnostic successful this year’s Europa League final.

Lookman’s Italian nine Atalanta connected Thursday secured a important 1-1 gully successful France against Olympique Marseille successful their first-leg semi-final clash.

Meanwhile, the fortunes of Boniface and Tella were adjacent brighter arsenic Bayern Leverkusen continued their awesome tally with a 2-0 triumph distant to Roma astatine the Stadio Olympico.

Rumble successful France

Marseille fought backmost from a shortage to unit a 1-1 gully against Atalanta successful the opening limb of their UEFA Europa League semi-final. Despite dominating ample portions of the game, the French squad failed to capitalise connected their control.

The visitors took a astonishment pb connected 11 minutes done erstwhile West Ham guardant Gianluca Scamacca, who converted from Teun Koopmeiners’ pass.

Marseille responded swiftly, with Chancel Mbemba equalising with a well-deserved long-range strike.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang squandered 2 chances connected either broadside of halftime for the host, which yet proved costly.

While Marseille continued to impressment aft the break, they struggled to make precise openings, with substitute Iliman Ndiaye rattling the woodwork with the champion of them.

Lookman was brought into the crippled conscionable earlier the hr people but couldn’t importantly interaction the outcome.

The 2nd limb takes spot successful Italy connected Thursday, 9 May.

Victory for Super Eagles duo

In the different semi-final, a stunning curled effort from Robert Andrich helped Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen unafraid a 2-0 pb successful the archetypal limb against AS Roma successful Rome.

The German broadside took the pb erstwhile a calamitous mistake from Rick Karsdorp talented Florian Wirtz the accidental to unfastened the scoring. In the 2nd half, Andrich delivered a magnificent onslaught to unafraid a comfy advantage.

Nathan Tella was brought into the crippled against Roma by manager Xabi Alonso successful the 77th minute. With the result of Thursday’s tie, Leverkusen extended their unbeaten tally this play to a singular 47 matches.

Roma and Leverkusen volition reconvene adjacent Thursday for the 2nd limb successful Germany, with a spot successful the last successful Dublin against Atalanta oregon Marseille connected 22 May.

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Last man

Samuel Chukwueze remains the astir caller Super Eagles subordinate to triumph the Europa League.

However, aft AC Milan’s elimination, the trio of Ademola Lookman, Victor Boniface, and Nathan Tella are present aiming to articulation the ranks of Nigerian Europa League champions.