Arsenal Faces First Defeat in Europa League as Iwobi’s Impact Falls Short

Arsenal experienced their initial setback in Group H of the UEFA Europa League, succumbing to a 1-0 defeat against FC Cologne on Thursday night. Despite Super Eagles forward Alex Iwobi being brought on in the second half, his efforts were unable to salvage Arsenal from the only goal of the game, scored by Sehrou Guirassy from the penalty spot after a foul by Matheu Debuchy.

While the loss did not impact Arsenal’s qualification for the round of 32, as they already secured their spot, it puts them in the lead of the group with 10 points, followed by Cologne and Red Star Belgrade with six points each.

In another Europa League clash, Super Eagles duo Anthony Nwakaeme and John Ogu represented Hapoel Beer-Sheva, who faced a 1-0 defeat away to Lugano. Despite Ogu being substituted off in the 46th minute, Nwakaeme played the full 90 minutes. The loss led to Hapoel’s elimination from the Europa League, with FC FCSB and Viktoria Plzen leading their group with 10 and nine points, respectively.

Konyaspor, featuring Nigerian forward Imoh Ezekiel, secured a 1-1 home draw against 10-man Marseille in Group I, with Wilfred Woke’s late own goal equalizing the score. Konyaspor stands third with five points and still has a chance to qualify.

In Group J, former Rangers striker Alhaji Gero contributed to Oestersunds’ 2-0 victory over Zorya, securing their passage to the next round with 10 points. The Europa League featured various other matches with noteworthy outcomes, as the group stage continues to unfold with surprises and standout performances.