Nathan Tella returned to Bundesliga action on Saturday as Bayer Leverkusen edged FSV Mainz 05 in a seven-goal thriller at the MEWA Arena, allnigeriasoccer.com reports.
The Super Eagles forward missed Leverkusen's first four league matches of the campaign while recovering from a back problem.
Before the trip to Mainz, Tella's only appearance of the season had come in the DFB-Pokal clash against Wehen Wiesbaden, where he played the final 25 minutes of a 4-0 victory.
The Hale End Academy graduate used the three-week international break to regain full fitness and was named in Leverkusen's Bundesliga matchday squad for the first time this season against Mainz.
With Leverkusen leading 4-2, manager Carles Martínez introduced the Nigeria international in place of Afonso Moreira with 15 minutes of normal time remaining.
Leverkusen raced into a two-goal lead through Robert Andrich and Patrik Schick before Anthony Caci's first-half brace brought Mainz level.
Jarell Quansah and Moussa Diaby restored the visitors' advantage after the break, while Benedict Hollerbach's late consolation proved insufficient to prevent a 4-3 defeat for Mainz.
Another Nigerian forward, Victor Boniface, was an unused substitute for the 2023-24 Bundesliga champions.
Ifeanyi Emmanuel
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