UCL : Chukwueze subbed in; another Nigerian-born winger nets winner for Villarreal vs Bayern

Super Eagles winger Samuel Chukwueze overcame his injury setback from the international break against Ghana in the World Cup playoff and started on Villarreal substitutes bench Wednesday evening in their Champions League quarterfinals 1-0 win over Bayern Munich at the Estadio de la Cerámica.

Chukwueze came off the bench in place of another Nigerian-born winger Arnaut Danjuma in the 81st minute in a game that Villarreal totally dominated against all odds.

Chukwueze was also in action when his club held Juventus to a 1-1 draw in the reverse leg of the round of 16 of the competition at home back in February.

For Danjuma, he is proving what a special asset he would have been for the Super Eagles of Nigeria had he played international football for Nigeria and not the Netherlands as he scored an early goal for the La Liga side against the German champions.

The hosts' goal came in the 8th minute when Gerard Moreno played in Giovani Lo Celso who found Daniel Parejo. The captain's shot was not goal bound but Danjuma somehow found himself at the right place to slot home.

A supposed second goal for Villarreal was denied by VAR for offside after Francis Coquelin's cross had looped over Neuer.

Villarreal have won three of their Champions League games when leading at the break and it did not appear that Robert Lewandowski and co. could cause them any harm going by the Bavarians' first half performance.

Gerrard Moreno was close to doubling the lead from 50 yards in the 63rd minute when he latched onto the ball after a terrible Manuel Nueur's gaffe gifted the Spaniard the ball but it went wide.

Villarreal never let their heads down and thoroughly deserved their victory ahead of the return leg on Tuesday next week.

Izuchukwu Michael