Super Eagles right-back, Bright Osayi-Samuel, and his Fenerbahce teammates were eliminated from the UEFA Champions League qualifiers on Tuesday night.
After a 2-1 loss in the first leg, the Turkish side could only manage a 1-1 draw in extra time against Lille, resulting in a 3-2 aggregate defeat.
Fenerbahce was unable to capitalize on an own goal from Lille’s Bafode Diakite that pushed the game into extra time.
Lille’s substitute Aissa Mandi received a red card on his debut for a reckless challenge, but the French side was awarded a penalty for a handball by Jayden Oosterwolde, which Jonathan David converted.
The match was a disappointing start to Jose Mourinho’s tenure as Fenerbahce’s head coach but rather, he praised his team following the outcome of the game.
“It’s better if I don’t talk about the penalty… only the referee knows why it was a penalty, and the VAR knows. I’m proud of my team,” Mourinho stated. “They did everything to win… One team deserved to win but the other team advanced.”
Despite their exit from the Champions League, Bright Osayi-Samuel and Fenerbahce will continue their European campaign in the UEFA Europa League.
