Nigerian forward Rafiu Durosinmi delivered a strong performance in their UEFA Europa League clash on Thursday night, but his efforts weren’t enough to prevent Viktoria Plzen’s defeat to Lazio.

Despite scoring the crucial equaliser, the Czech side fell victim to a stunning late goal, leaving them in a tough spot ahead of the return leg, Footballrover reports.

Rafiu Durosinmi reflects on missed chances in Plzen’s defeat to Lazio

Speaking after the match, Rafiu Durosinmi expressed his disappointment at the result but remained hopeful.

“It is a tremendous pity for us. We had chances to add the second goal, but they scored. But anything can happen in the second leg,” he told Nova Sport.

The 22-year-old was one of Plzen’s standout players on the night, heading home a well-placed free kick to cancel out Alessio Romagnoli’s opener.

However, despite being up against nine men, Rafiu Durosinmi and his teammates failed to capitalise, and Gustav Isaksen punished them with a stunning 98th-minute winner.

Plzen coach Koubek blames defensive lapses for painful defeat

Head coach Miroslav Koubek was visibly frustrated, pointing to his side’s late defensive errors as the reason for Plzen’s defeat to Lazio.

“We played carelessly at the end. Isaksen was not double-marked. When he beat Jemelka, we needed another player to cover his left foot. We knew how dangerous he could be,” Koubek admitted.

With the second leg in Rome approaching, Rafiu Durosinmi and his teammates must regroup quickly.

Their ability to turn the tie around will depend on whether they can tighten their defence and seize scoring opportunities when they come.

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Last Updated on March 7, 2025 8:49 am by Sir Kris