Euro 2016 hero Eder makes unhappy return to action

Baku (AFP) – Portugal’s Euro 2016 final hero Eder made an inauspicious return to competitive action on Thursday as his Lille side were unceremoniously dumped out of the Europa League in Azerbaijan.

The French club went down 1-0 to Qabala in the heat of Baku to lose their third qualifying round tie 2-1 on aggregate.

Lille had been held to a 1-1 draw at home in last week’s first leg with Eder watching on from the stands.

On Thursday he was handed a start by coach Frederic Antonetti, just 25 days after coming off the bench to score Portugal’s dramatic extra-time winner against hosts France in the European Championship final.

He played the full 90 minutes but could not make his presence count as the Croatian Filip Ozobic got the only goal in the 34th minute for the team that finished third in the Azerbaijan Premier League last season.

The 28-year-old Eder spent the second half of last season on loan at Lille from Swansea City before making the move permanent in May.