By Milcah Tanimu
Oluwatosin Demehin made history with Galatasaray as the Turkish champions qualified for the UEFA Women’s Champions League group stage for the first time. Galatasaray secured a thrilling 2-1 victory over Slavia Praha, clinching a 4-3 aggregate win.
Demehin debuted in the first leg, a 2-2 draw, and played a crucial role in the historic triumph. Despite trailing, Galatasaray displayed resilience in the return leg, forcing extra time after overturning the deficit. Substitute Nazlican Parlak scored the decisive goal just three minutes after entering the match, securing Türkiye’s inaugural group stage appearance.
However, it was a disappointing night for fellow Nigerians. Jennifer Echegini and Paris Saint-Germain faced a 2-1 defeat to Juventus, resulting in a 2-5 aggregate loss that eliminated them from the tournament. Echegini, who joined PSG from Juventus this summer, saw her new club miss the group stage for the first time in history.
Super Falcons goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie also endured a tough night as Paris FC fell 3-0 to Manchester City, resulting in an 8-0 aggregate exit. Chloe Kelly opened the scoring, and Khadija Shaw added two goals, marking City’s first group stage appearance.
Nigerian midfielder Christy Ucheibe’s Champions League campaign also ended prematurely. After a promising 2-1 first-leg win for Benfica over Hammarby, Ucheibe was sidelined by injury. Hammarby capitalized on the opportunity, winning 2-0 in Lisbon to advance 3-2 on aggregate.
The UEFA Women’s Champions League group stage now features prominent teams like Barcelona, Lyon, Bayern München, Chelsea, alongside debutants Galatasaray and Manchester City.
