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By Johnny Edward
Four Nigerian players will be in action for their respective European teams as they battle for a place in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday (today), PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The players are Glasgow Rangers duo Leon Balogun and Cyriel Dessers, and Al-Hassan Yusuf and Chidera Ejuke, who both star for Antwerp.
Defender Balogun and striker Dessers, who joined Glasgow Rangers this summer, will be eager to help the Gers secure back-to-back Champions League group-stage appearances for the first time since 2011, when they host PSV in their Champions League play-off first leg clash at Ibrox on Tuesday (today).
The duo has helped the Gers win four games as well as a draw and a defeat in their opening six games so far this season — with Dessers scoring twice and Balogun helping the club keep one clean sheet in the three games he has featured in.
In total, Rangers have scored 12 times, conceding four, scoring first in three of the six contests.
The Glasgow giants have only ever suffered one qualification elimination at the final hurdle — losing 3-0 over two legs to AEK Athens in 1994 — and Michael Beale’s men will be wary of a vengeful PSV, who they knocked out at this stage last season.
When both sides last met at this stage, Rangers defeated PSV 1-0 over two legs in the play-offs.
The Nigerian duo at the Gers will no doubt be hoping that lightning can strike twice on the European landscape.
Speaking ahead of the game, Dessers, who has scored three goals plus one assist against the Eredivisie side in six games, is banking on the support from their fans to realise his dreams of playing in the Champions League.
Dessers, who is expected to lead the Gers attack in the encounter, has been on the losing side on four occasions against PSV, winning once and recording a draw as well.
“I’m sure the fans will give us a massive boost tomorrow (today), “Dessers told a press conference on Monday.
“I hope in the beginning we can help boost that atmosphere and we can do something special together.
“If you want to go to the Champions League, these are the teams you have to beat.
“The manager and analysts have done a good job on PSV, all the things I had thought about were included and we have prepared really well.”
Also Belgian champions Antwerp, who parade Al-Hassan Yusuf and Chidera Ejuke, will be in action at home against Greek side AEK Athens today.
AEK won their opening Champions League qualifying tie, beating Dinamo Zagreb 4-3 on aggregate in the third qualifying round. After earning a 2-1 victory in the first leg, they played out a 2-2 draw in the reverse fixture.
Antwerp are undefeated in their last nine games in all competitions — winning six, with three draws.