Rangers clean sheet delights Balogun as Osimhen sees red, Kayode scores

SUPER Eagles defender Leon Balogun had two reasons to be happy on Friday morning, hours after his club Glasgow Rangers faced Lech Poznan in a UEFA Europa League clash.

The Scottish Premiership leaders not only won the match 1-0 at Ibrox on Thursday night for their second group phase victory, they also did not concede against the Poles.

“Delighted about two wins out of two matches in the @europaleague and yet another clean sheet,” Balogun tweeted on Friday morning in celebration.

The 32-year-old was on from the start and played the full game, receiving a yellow card.

Rangers, coached by Liverpool great Steven Gerrard, are second in Group D with six points from two matches, behind leaders Benfica only on goals difference.

Balogun also featured when Rangers defeated Standard Liege 2-0 away last week.Rangers next face Benfica in Glasgow in a battle for top spot next week.

Also in the Europa League on Thursday night, Victor Osimhen received his first red card in Napoli colours as the Italian side squeezed past Real Sociedad 1-0 in a Group D tie in Spain.

The Super Eagles striker, who came on as a 61st minute substitute for Andrea Petagna, was issued two yellow cards in quick succession towards the end of the game.

His first was in the 81st minute, followed by the second on the stroke of full-time. He will therefore be suspended for Napoli’s Europa League fixture at Rijeka next week.

Napoli are third in their group with three points after losing their opening match 1-0 at home to Dutch club AZ Alkmaar last week.Meanwhile, Nigerian striker Olanrewaju Kayode scored for 10-man Sivasspor in the 2-1 home defeat to Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv in Group I.

Kayode scored the Turkish side’s goal in the 55th minute, but Samba Camara was sent off 12 minutes later to give the visiting Israelis the advantage, and Maccabi scored twice in five minutes to claim the three points.