Victor Olatunji Leads Sparta Prague to Victory Against Salzburg in Champions League Opener

Nigerian forward Victor Olatunji played a pivotal role in Sparta Prague‘s impressive 3-0 win against Salzburg, marking the opening of their UEFA Champions League campaign. The reigning champions of the Czech Republic, Sparta Prague hosted the match at the epet Arena in Prague, welcoming Salzburg for a highly anticipated encounter. Olatunji, who has been a key player for Sparta Prague since the previous season, debuted in the Champions League, securing a starting position as a striker.

Sparta Prague experienced a dream start, scoring just a minute into the game due to Kaan Kairinen‘s goal. Despite Salzburg’s attempts to dominate following the early setback, they were unable to create significant scoring opportunities.

The Czech side coordinated their strategies more effectively and maintained strong defensive lines. They extended their lead with a second goal from Victor Olatunji. A long pass from Sparta Prague’s defense found Olatunji, who executed a brilliant one-time shot, sending the ball swiftly into the bottom left corner of the net.

In the second half, Olatunji continued to shine by assisting Qazim Laci for the team’s third goal. During his 58 minutes on the field, the 25-year-old striker attempted two goals, made 14 touches, and won four of his seven duels. The match concluded 3-0 in favor of Sparta Prague, cementing a significant win for the team.

Victor Olatunji made history by becoming the third African player to both score and assist on his Champions League debut. He joins the ranks of Daniel Cousin, who accomplished this feat in 2007 for Rangers against Lyon, and Serge Aurier who achieved it in 2015 for PSG versus Shakhtar Donetsk.

In other Champions League results, Inter Milan held Manchester City to a goalless draw, while Celtic emerged as the night’s highest scorers with a 5-1 victory over Slovan Bratislava. Raphael Onyedika played the entire match but could not prevent Club Brugge from suffering a 3-0 defeat at home against Borussia Dortmund.

The results of the evening included a goalless draw between Bologna and Shakhtar Donetsk, a 3-0 victory for Sparta Prague over RB Salzburg, Celtic’s 5-1 win against Slovan Bratislava, and Borussia Dortmund defeating Club Brugge 3-0. Additionally, Manchester City and Inter Milan ended their match in a 0-0 draw, while PSG secured a 1-0 victory over Girona.