Nigeria’s stars Lookman, Onyedika and Osimhen shine in UCL first leg Knockout Playoffs

by Devesh Jaganath

image Nigeria’s stars Lookman, Onyedika and Osimhen shine in UCL first leg Knockout Playoffs
The first legs of 2025-26 UEFA Champions League Playoffs produced a few shocking results, adding to the anticipation for what is to come in the crucial deciding legs next week. Among the star performers in Europe in midweek were the Super Eagles trio of Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman and Raphael Onyedika.

Super Eagles duo on the scoresheet in six-goal UCL thriller

Amid what can only be described as European football at its finest this week, the pick of the UEFA Champions League Knockout Playoff matches arguably came from the Jan Breydel Stadium, where Club Brugge and Atletico Madrid treated viewers to a thrilling clash that ended all square at the final whistle. 

Our experts’ football predictions suggested that this would be an entertaining fixture, and it only took eight minutes to see the first goal strike the back of the net, with Julian Alvarez converting from the penalty spot after VAR asked referee Glenn Nyberg to review a handball shout. 

Four minutes into first-half stoppage time, Los Colchoneros extended their advantage to 2-0 as Ademola Lookman showed incredible strength to hold off his marker in the box and steer in a flick-on from Antoine Greizmann following a venomous corner. 

With that strike, Lookman became only the fifth player to score for two clubs in the UCL in the same season, and the first to find the net on Champions League debut for the Rojiblancos since Hector Herrera against Juventus back in 2019. 

However, Club Brugge refused to throw in the towel, and it was Lookman’s Super Eagles teammate, Raphael Onyedika, who started the comeback, netting for the home side in the 51st minute before Nicolo Tresoldi levelled proceedings at the hour mark. 

Atleti thought they had won the game following a Joel Ordonez own-goal in the 79th minute, but Onyedika had the final say, as he threaded through Chistos Tzolis for FCB’s third of the night to keep the tie hanging on a knife-edge ahead of the second leg at the Metropolitano next week. 

Osimhen turns provider as Gala stun Juventus at Rams Park

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The picture around the next eight teams to enter the Round of 16 in the UCL is starting to become a little clearer, and one of the sides that is in a commanding position to progress is Galatasaray after a stunning performance against Juventus on Tuesday night. 

Cimbom entered the match as the underdogs, and by halftime, it looked as though they were headed for defeat after a Teun Koopmeiners' first-half brace cancelled out Gabriel Sara’s opener to give the Serie A side a 2-1 lead at the break. 

However, the Super Lig champions came out firing in the second half and slotted two goals beyond Michele Di Gregorio to restore their lead before I Bianconeri were reduced to 10 men, with Juan Cabral receiving two yellow cards within 22 minutes coming off the bench. 

Smelling blood, Okan Buruk’s side made the most of their numerical advantage, and Victor Osimhen played a starring role late in the match, providing assists for Noa Lang and Sacha Boey in the final 15 minutes to help his side to a resounding 5-2 victory. 

That result followed a 5-1 drubbing of Eyupspor in the Super Lig last Friday, where Osimhen had also bagged a brace of assists, taking his tally to 15 goals and five assists in 23 matches across the Turkish and Champions League competitions this season.