Europa League: Boniface gets another chance to equal or break Martins’ Europa League goals record
Lookman through to second semis in Europe, Chukwueze out in last eight in second straight season
Victor Boniface was subbed on in the second half and was unable to score as his team, Bayer Leverkusen scored late to force their host, West Ham to a 1-1 draw at the London stadium to maintain their unbeaten run across all competitions this season.
Boniface needed a brace to tie Obafemi Martins’ goals record as the most prolific Nigerian in the Europa League and a hat-trick to move above the former Inter Milan, Wolfsburg, Newcastle and Birmingham forward but it was not to be.
Leverkusen’s qualification for the semifinal of the competition gives Boniface, who has scored in five of the seven games he has played in the competition, at least two more games to score three goals and be the most prolific Nigerian in the Europa League.
Boniface, then with Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise, was joint top scorer in the competition with Man United’s Marcus Rashford with six goals.
In Italy, Ademola Lookman was subbed on with only 10 minutes left in regulation time and the Nigerian helped his club, Atalanta to qualify for the semifinal at the expense of Liverpool who arrived in Italy with three goals deficit following their hammering at Anfield by the Italians.
The Reds only managed to score once for a 3-1 aggregate finish and the victory has now offered Lookman the opportunity to play in a European Cup semifinal for the second straight year after reaching the last four with Leicester City in the UEFA Europa Conference League two seasons ago.
Still in Italy, Samuel Chukwueze crashed out of a European Club competition at the last eight for the second straight season after AC Milan fell 2-1 at AS Roma for a 3-1 aggregate loss.
The Nigerian was subbed on for the fourth game in the competition and could not salvage the situation for the Rossonnerri.
Chukwueze also crashed out at this stage last season with Villarreal in the UEFA Europa Conference League. He has however played in the semifinal of the Champions League and made it to the final of the Europa League but could not play against Manchester United due to a harmstring trouble.
