Sunday Adetunji and Adamu Alhassan lit up European nights with standout performances in UEFA qualifiers, proving once again why Nigerian stars can’t be ignored on the big stage.
Adetunji bagged a brilliant brace and an assist to power FC Ballkani to a huge home win in Conference League, while Alhassan came off the bench to score the match-winner for FC Shkendija in their Champions League showdown, Footballrover reports.
Sunday Adetunji Inspires FC Ballkani with Brace and Assist in UECL
Adetunji was the star of the show on Tuesday night as FC Ballkani stormed to a thrilling 4-2 win over Floriana in the first leg of the UEFA Europa Conference League Qualification Round 2.
Playing in front of home fans at the Pristina City Stadium, Adetunji delivered a Man of the Match performance with two goals and one assist, leading the Kosovo champions to a strong advantage ahead of the return leg.
The 27-year-old striker scored Ballkani’s second goal, assisted the third, and later fired home the match-winner in style.
Bleart Tolaj had earlier opened the scoring, while Jake Grech and Mustapha Jah were the scorers for the Maltese side.
Ballkani and Floriana will clash again next Thursday, with Floriana hosting the second leg in Malta.
Adamu Alhassan’s Clutch Goal Seals UCL Win for FC Shkendija
Meanwhile, it was Adamu Alhassan who made the difference in the UEFA Champions League Qualification Round 2, scoring the only goal of the game to help FC Shkendija defeat FCSB of Romania 1-0.
The Nigerian midfielder was subbed on at half-time and needed just 19 minutes to find the back of the net, lifting the Macedonian side to a crucial first-leg victory at the Toše Proeski Arena.
The tightly contested match was filled with drama, as Kamer Qaka of Shkendija received a straight red in the 70th minute.
Nine minutes later, Florin Tanase of FCSB also saw red, restoring balance on the pitch.
Both teams will now head into the decisive second leg next Wednesday, July 30, with the Romanian giants playing host.
With second legs coming up, Footballrover will continue to monitor these two as they aim to help their clubs reach the next round.
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