Success, Udogie impress in Serie A again; Ighalo, Chukwueze suffer continental collapse

Isaac Success and Destiny followed up their excellent performances at the weekend with another brilliant display to power Udinese to a stunning 4-0 win away to Fiorentina.

Success and Udogie were the goalscorers as Udinese secured a decent 2-2 draw at Bologna on Sunday.

And at the Stadio Artemio Franchi in Firenze on Wednesday night, Udogie scored the last of Udinese’s four goals. At the same time, Success delivered another robust display before he was substituted just past the hour mark.

The victory lifts the Little Zebra to 43 points and guarantees their top-flight status even if they lose their remaining league games and Salernitana win theirs.

Also, in the Serie A, Ola Aina played every minute as Torino played out a thrilling 4-4 draw with Atalanta at the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo.

It is the first time in 2022 that the Super Eagles defender will feature for 90 minutes for Il Toro. It is also Aina’s third appearance since his return from the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, all coming in April.

Samuel Chukwueze’s hopes of lifting the UEFA Champions League took a significant hit at Anfield as Villarreal lost 2-0 to Liverpool on Wednesday night.

Chukwueze was on for 72 minutes, but his contribution did not stop Pervis Josué Estupiñán’s own goal and Sadio Mane’s fine second-half finish from handing victory to the Reds.

The Spanish La Liga side will get the chance to overturn that result and keep alive their continental dreams when they host the same opponents at the Estadio de la Ceramica next week.

In the AFC Champions League, Nigeria international Odion Ighalo fired blanks as Al Hilal suffered a surprising 2-0 home defeat to Qatar’s Al Rayyan in Group A’s final round of matches.

The loss did not, however, stop the reigning champions from progressing to the quarterfinals as group leaders, with Al Rayyan finishing as runners-up.

Ighalo, 32, has two goals in four games in the continental championship.