Europa League: Osimhen to Napoli’s rescue

Celtic lets go the advantage against Betis; West Ham starts well

September 17, 2021 10:52 pm | Updated 10:52 pm IST - LONDON

Saviour: Victor Osimhen, right, celebrates Napoli’s equaliser against Leicester on Thursday.

Saviour: Victor Osimhen, right, celebrates Napoli’s equaliser against Leicester on Thursday.

Victor Osimhen scored twice as Napoli came from 2-0 down to salvage a 2-2 draw at Leicester, while Celtic threw away a two-goal lead to lose 4-3 to Real Betis and West Ham was a convincing 2-0 winner away to Dinamo Zagreb.

Leicester took the lead as Ayoze Perez fired home at the back post from Harvey Barnes’ cross after just nine minutes.

Patson Daka then saw his first Leicester goal ruled out by a VAR review for a marginal offside call, but Barnes’ excellent finish doubled Leicester’s lead.

Napoli boss Luciano Spalletti held nothing in reserve with his strongest side and the visitors responded in the final quarter thanks to Osimhen.

The Nigerian, who cost €70 million from Lille last year, brilliantly flicked the ball over the imposing presence of Jannik Vestegaard and Kasper Schmeichel to get Napoli back in the game. Osimhen then outjumped Caglar Soyuncu to power home a head for a deserved equaliser.

Leverkusen rallies

Bayer Leverkusen was also a winner as the German side came from behind to beat Ferencvaros 2-1 thanks to a second-half winner from 18-year-old star Florian Wirtz.

Important results: Group B: PSV Eindhoven 2 (Goetze 32, Gakpo 54) drew with Real Sociedad 2 (Januzaj 34, Isak 39).

Group C: Leicester 2 (Perez 9, Barnes 64) drew with Napoli 2 (Osimhen 69, 87).

Group D: Eintracht Frankfurt 1 (Lammers 41) drew with Fenerbahce 1 (Ozil 10).

Galatasaray 1 (Strakosha 67-og) bt Lazio 0.

Group G: Bayer Leverkusen 2 (Palacios 37, Wirtz 69) bt Ferencvaros 1 (Mmaee 8); Real Betis 4 (Miranda 32, Juanmi 35, 53 Borja Iglesias 51) bt Celtic 3 (Ajeti 15, Juranovic 27-pen, Ralston 87).

Group H: Dinamo Zagreb 0 lost to West Ham 2 (Antonio 22, Rice 50) .

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