UCL: Sparta striker Olatunji sets Nigerian record neither Osimhen, Mikel, Kanu nor Iwobi managed to achieve

Victor Olatunji made his UEFA Champions League debut on Wednesday evening and recorded a feat which was not registered by Victor Osimhen, Nwakwo Kanu, John Obi Mikel and Alex Iwobi on their first appearance in the competition.

Iwobi did not register a goal involvement for Arsenal on his Champions League debut versus Bayern Munich in 2015, , just as Kanu (1994), Osimhen (2019) and Obi Mikel (2006) failed to do while representing Ajax, Lille and Chelsea respectively.

Olatunji scored and assisted for Sparta Prague as they beat RB Salzburg 3-1 on matchday one of the UEFA Champions League played at the epet ARENA on Wednesday evening.

Two minutes into the game, Sparta Prague grabbed the opening goal when Lukas Haraslin's shot ricocheted off the back of the Salzburg goalkeeper into the path of Kaan Kairinen, who poked the ball home.

In the 15th minute, Olatunji got the chance to double the home side's lead, but his header drifted wide before he eventually got on the scoresheet three minutes before the end of the first-half regulation time.

Filip Panak's precise pass found the 25-year-old inside the box and he fired a first-time effort past the goalkeeper into the left post.

In the 58th minute, the Nigerian striker became the provider when he fed Qazim Laci who brilliantly beat the goalkeeper in a one-the-one situation before tucking the ball home.

According to statisticians at Opta Joe, Olatunji has become the first Nigerian player to score and assist on his debut in the Champions League and the third African to do so, following in the footsteps of Daniel Cousin and Serge Aurier.

He joined Sparta Prague last summer and has now scored thirteen goals in all competitions for the Czech Republic side.

Abdulkareem Abdulhamid

Photo Credit: sparta.cz

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