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RANKINGS: Dessers top Nigerian performances in UCL, UEL, UECL semi-final first legs

Samuel Chukwueze - Cyriel Dessers - Asisat Oshoala - Ademola Lookman
Samuel Chukwueze - Cyriel Dessers - Asisat Oshoala - Ademola Lookman
Europe's cup competitions for the first-ever, saw an unprecedented number of Nigerians play in the semifinals.
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Across this season's UEFA Champions League, Women's Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League semifinal matches, at least one Nigerian international featured in each.

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While some struggled to make an impact for their teams, others shone brightly, setting the pace for their team's second leg ties.

Ranking them from worst to best, who among these semifinalists gave the most exciting performance?

7. Samuel Chukwueze, Villarreal

Villarreal's Chukwueze was silenced in their Champions League semifinal first leg game as Sadio Mane, and a Jordan Henderson forced own goal, gave the Reds a 2-0 advantage.

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Chukwueze was not good as Liverpool beat Villarreal 2-0 at Anfield
Chukwueze was not good as Liverpool beat Villarreal 2-0 at Anfield

The Nigerian who scored the goal that knocked Bayern Munich out in the quarter-final, found difficulty breaking through Liverpool's defence, touching the ball just 14 times in 72 minutes.

6. Calvin Bassey, Rangers

Bassey played a centreback role as Rangers fell to RB Leipzig in the first leg of their Europa League semifinal on Thursday night.

The goal: from Angelino, came after the Rangers defence left the left-back with enough space to shoot from the edge of the box off a half volley.

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5. Joe Aribo, Rangers

While Rangers had a fair game in their semifinal first leg against Leipzig, Aribo's efforts aiding the attack were not enough to see his side get a goal.

Calvin Bassey (second left) watches on as Angelino (second right) scores for Leipzig with a left-footed strike
Calvin Bassey (second left) watches on as Angelino (second right) scores for Leipzig with a left-footed strike

The Scottish side were at full-time, forced to settle for a defeat, turning their attention to next week's second leg at the Ibrox. 

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4. Kelechi Iheanacho, Leicester City

Iheanacho came close to stealing a winner for Leicester against Roma but was unfortunate as goalkeeper Rui Patricio denied him with a fabulous save.

Iheanacho, who came on as a substitute for Jamie Vardy in the Foxes' Europa Conference League semifinal first leg, played a huge role in ensuring Roma were kept under pressure in the final moments of the game at the King Power Stadium.

3. Asisat Oshoala, Barcelona

Barcelona's Oshoala last Friday made a return to football after having been sidelined for 10-weeks due to a knee injury.

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Asisat Oshoala celebrates his Barcelona Femini teammates
Asisat Oshoala celebrates his Barcelona Femini teammates

Despite coming on as a 73rd-minute substitute in her side's 5-1 thrashing of Wolfsburg at Camp Nou, Oshoala made a good impact in the Women's Champions League semifinal first leg.

She almost scored on two occasions for the Spanish giants, but was, both times, denied by the Wolfsburg goalkeeper.

2. Ademola Lookman, Leicester City

Leicester City's Lookman denied Jose Mourinho's Roma a win on Thursday, as he forced an own goal off Gianluca Mancini for 1-1 in their semifinal first leg tie in England.

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The forward who gave his best before being substituted for Ayoze Perez in the 84th minute, boasted to UEFA after the clash, that his team will do their best to book a place in the final.

1. Cyriel Dessers, Feyenoord

Dessers stole the headlines on Thursday night as his brace in Feyenoord's semifinal first leg against Marseille, helped his side secure a 3-2 win and an advantage heading into the second leg.

Cyriel Dessers opens the scoring for Feyenoord
Cyriel Dessers opens the scoring for Feyenoord
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Dessers' brace: his ninth and tenth Europa Conference League goals of the season, saw him move two goals past Tammy Abraham, and become the competition's overall top goalscorer.

Dessers' brace also meant he became joint-fifth on the list of Nigeria's top 10 scorers in European club competitions. He is now one goal shy of Jay-Jay Okocha, and Yakubu Aiyegbeni, both on 13 goals.

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