Franklin Tebo stepped out of the shadows on Thursday night, turning provider in a crucial moment that denied Celtic victory.
The 25-year-old Super Eagles defender delivered his first-ever goal contribution for Red Star Belgrade, assisting Marko Arnautović in a 1-1 draw against Celtic in their UEFA Europa League Round 1 clash, Footballrover reports.
Franklin Tebo’s decisive assist changes the story
For much of the night, the headlines seemed destined to belong to Kelechi Iheanacho.
The Celtic forward came off the bench to score on his Europa League debut, breaking the deadlock in the 56th minute.
His sharp finish had the travelling Hoops fans dreaming of a rare away win in Europe.
But just nine minutes later, Franklin Tebo stole back the spotlight.
The Nigerian defender, with his last effort, slipped a neat pass back into the path of Arnautović, who clinically beat the Celtic keeper to level the contest at 1-1.
The Stadion Rajko Mitić erupted, and Red Star were back in the fight.
The assist was more than just a statistical milestone — it was Tebo’s first goal involvement in European competition, marking a new chapter for the one-cap Super Eagles man.
The bigger picture for the Nigerian defender
Having played the full 90 minutes, he showed discipline in defence and composure in attack, embodying the kind of versatility that Red Star will need if they hope to progress from the group.
For Celtic, the draw stretched their wait for an away win in Europe to nearly four years, but for Franklin Tebo, it was a personal breakthrough.
Once on the fringes of Nigeria’s national team setup, this performance could put him back on the radar as he continues to build his reputation in the Serbian SuperLiga and on the continental stage.
The former Nasarawa United defender joined the Serbian giants from Norwegian Eliteserien side Sarpsborg on a three-year deal during the summer transfer.
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Last Updated on September 25, 2025 1:20 pm by footballrover
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