Onyekuru, Henty score in Europa League Play-offs
Nigerian internationals, Henry Onyekuru and Ezekiel Henty were on target for Olympiacos and Slovan Bratislava respectively, as they played out a 2-2 draw in the UEFA Europa League round four, second leg on Thursday, with the Greek side progressing to the group stage with a 5-2 aggregate win.
The Super Eagles stars started started the fixture but the other Nigerian in the Bratislava matchday squad, Rabiu Ibrahim, sat out the game.
Slovan had to play with 10-men, following the dismissal of left-back Verdon De Marco for a reckless challenge on Mady Camara, five minutes before half hour.
Hosts, Slovan Bratislava — who were looking to overturn the 3-0 deficit suffered in the hands of Henry Onyekuru’s Olympiacos in the first leg — made the first scoring attempt in the game, with Ezekiel Henty racing down the left into the box on the 14th minute to deliver a weak shot, which hit the side netting.
The visitors capitalised on the numerical superiority to pressurise the hosts to concede three minutes after the half-hour mark, as Moroccan forward Youssouf El headed Mathieu Valbuena’s cross into the top right corner.
Four minutes before the break, the Fortuna Liga side managed to draw level. An unmarked Jaromir Zmrhal squared a pass from the left to Henty, who poked in at the far post, for his fourth goal in all competitions this season.
Olympiacos regained the lead nine minutes into the second period with a great finish from Onyekuru. The former Galatasaray forward received a quick pass from Mathieu Valbuena and curled a low shot into the bottom right corner for his first goal in two games for the Red-Whites, since his €4.5m move to Karaiskakis Stadium from Monaco on August 2.
Eight minutes later, Slovan leveled again, this time from a corner won by Henty. Andre Green directed Vasil Bozhikov’s header off Jaromir Zmrhal’s corner into the net, leaving Tomas Vaclik with no chance.
Coach Pedro Martins replaced Onyekuru with Egypt’s Ahmed Kouka in the 72nd minute.
And seven minutes later, Onyekuru’s compatriot Henty was also withdrawn. The 28-year-old paved way for Dejan Drazic.
With the final score at 2-2, Olympiacos progressed with a 5-2 aggregate, following a 3-0 win in the first leg, where Onyekuru made his debut as a 74th-minute substitute for France veteran, Mathieu Valbuena.
The 46-time Greece Super League champions will know their UEFA Europa League group stage opponents after Friday’s draw in Istanbul, Turkey.
Ezekiel Henty and Rabiu Ibrahim’s European journey with the Sky Blues continue in the group stage of the UEFA Europa Conference League.