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Muhammed Tijani & Boluwatife Ogungbayi shine as Slavia Prague earn Europa first-leg win
By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde
Nigeria duo of Muhammed Tijani and Boluwatife Ogungbayi shone as Slavia Prague secured a 2-0 win over Ukrainian foes, FK Zorya Luhansk in the first of 2023/24 UEFA Europa League final qualification stage on Thursday.
The hosts thought they had taken the lead in the 27th minute when Christos Zafeiris got up really well from the corner and headed the ball into the six-yard box where Lukas Masopust of Slavia glanced a header into the net.
The Slavia Prague players celebrate the goal but the referee immediately signals a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review. The goal was ruled out due to a handball in the build-up play.
It took up to the 81st minute before the host finally broke the deadlock. Muhamed Tijani jumped highest inside the box to meet a perfectly executed corner kick by Petr Sevcik as his header bounced off the ground and went inside the left post behind the goalkeeper.
In the additional minutes of the second half, the Czech side doubled their lead thanks to the effort of another Nigerian player.
Boluwatife Ogungbayi puts a cross into the box and finds Lukas Masopust, who latched on to it and strikes the ball into the top left corner.
Tijani replaced Mojmir Chytil in the 68th minute before scoring the opening goal of the game which was his first Europa League goal for Slavia Prague. The 36 Lions of Lagos player has also scored a goal in four league games.
Ogungbayi came off the bench after replacing Lukas Provod in the 69th minute to bag an assist. He has also scored a goal in two league appearances.
Slavia Prague will next face Jablonec in the league before the return leg of the UEFA Europa League on August 31.
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