Nigerian duo help Iheanacho exact revenge on Celtic in dramatic Champions League qualifier

Celtic suffered one of the most dramatic European collapses in their history as LASK overturned a four-goal aggregate deficit to eliminate the Scottish champions from the Champions League.

Nigerian-born Samuel Adeniran and Super Eagles-linked forward Moses Usor both played key roles as the Austrian side completed an extraordinary 5-4 aggregate comeback.

Celtic travelled to Linz with a 3-0 first-leg advantage and appeared firmly in control when captain Callum McGregor opened the scoring after 21 minutes.

The travelling supporters were already celebrating what they expected to be another Champions League qualification, but LASK had other ideas.

Usor helped spark the turnaround when he equalised in the 32nd minute before Robert Ljubicic put the Austrian side ahead shortly after half-time.

Adeniran then struck in the 58th minute to bring LASK within one goal of levelling the aggregate score. The drama reached another level in the closing stages when substitute Florian Flecker scored in the 90th minute after a VAR review, forcing extra time with the aggregate score tied at 4-4.

LASK completed the incredible comeback in the 109th minute when Adeniran scored his second goal of the night, sending Celtic crashing out after one of their most painful European collapses.

The American-born forward has Nigerian roots, with his father, Victor Adebesi Adeniran, formerly known as Victor Ogunsanya, having represented Nigeria at the 1988 Olympics. His uncle, Andrew Uwe, was also part of that Olympic squad and the 1990 Africa Cup of Nations team.

Usor also has Nigerian football connections. The forward developed with 36 Lions FC before moving to Slavia Prague B and eventually joining LASK, who made his loan move permanent in 2023.

For Celtic, the defeat was particularly painful given their relationship with Kelechi Iheanacho last season. The Super Eagles forward played a crucial role in Celtic's 2025/26 Scottish Premiership triumph, producing several late goals, but was still not considered for a new contract, instead leaving the club as a free agent to join Turkish second-league side Bursaspor.

With Celtic's Champions League dream now shattered by two players of Nigerian descent, the extraordinary result could easily be viewed as a painful dose of footballing revenge for Iheanacho.