Orban on Target for Gent, Dessers, Lookman Fire Blanks

EUROPA LEAGUE

Duro Ikhazuagbe

Nigerian international, Gift Orban, ended his goal drought last night as his Belgian side whitewashed Iceland’s Breidablik Kopavugar 5-0 in the UEFA Europa Conference League.

The forward scored his first goal since August and also his only goal so far of the group stage of the competition in the 69th minutes. It was the fifth of the night as the Belgian side ran riot with goals.

Orban’s Super Eagles teammate, Cyriel Dessers fired blanks as Rangers emerged with a precious Europa League point from Prague after a testing goalless night against Sparta.

In Philippe Clement’s first European game in charge, a tinkered Ibrox line-up toiled for a foothold in the Letna Stadion in the first half, with Jack Butland repeatedly keeping them level before the break.

The attack spearheaded by Dessers for 74 minutes before he was substituted for Danilo, failed to unlock Sparta Prague’s backline.

Rangers’ brittle attack eventually conjured a cluster of late chances, but Sam Lammers and Danilo found Peter Vindahl in defiant form in the Sparta goal.

Real Betis defeated Aris Limassol 1-0 in Group C’s other game, to leave Rangers third on four points, level with Sparta.

Elsewhere, another Super Eagle, Ademola Lookman failed to get on the scorer’s sheet at Atalanta went away to share points with  Sturm Graz in a 2-2 thriller.

Lookman was taken off for C. De Ketelaere in the 63rd minute.