Talented Nigerian midfielder Victor Ntino-Emo Gidado featured for Gaziantep FK as they fell to a disappointing 3-0 defeat against Eyupspor on Saturday, Soccernet.ng reports.
Gaziantep went into the match aiming for what would have been their 10th league win of the season, but they were comfortably beaten away from home. The result saw Eyupspor climb out of the relegation zone, at least temporarily until the conclusion of matchday 31 fixtures.
Umut Bozok, Charles-André Raux-Yao, and Metehan Altunbaş were all on target in an entertaining encounter at the Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Stadium in Istanbul.
Eyupspor vs Gaziantep FK: What happened?
Both teams came into the game in contrasting positions, with Eyupspor battling relegation while Gaziantep were relatively safe in mid-table.
After a quiet first half, the match burst into life in the second half as the hosts struck twice within three minutes. Bozok broke the deadlock shortly after the hour mark, before Raux-Yao doubled the lead only a few minutes later.
Gaziantep pushed forward in search of a response, which it was Eyupspor who grabbed the next goal as Altunbaş added a third goal, with Bozok providing the assist to cap off an excellent individual display that saw him register three goal contributions.
The win lifted Eyupspor to 15th place on the table, while Gaziantep remained 10th, although they could still drop further depending on results elsewhere.
Gidado rated high for Gaziantep FK despite defeat
Gidado, who joined Gaziantep from Slovenian side NK Bravo in January, was handed a starting role in what was his eighth league appearance for the club.
The young midfielder, who had previously spoken about the influence of fellow Nigerians in the league, including Victor Osimhen and Paul Onuachu in helping him settle quickly, stood out as one of the game’s best performers.
The 21-year-old was his team’s highest-rated player, earning a 7.0 score on Sofascore. He completed 88% of his passes, made 12 defensive contributions and won six of his eight ground duels in a commanding midfield display. He also recorded three successful tackles before being substituted in the 86th minute for Luis Pérez.
Gidado, who is managed by KCG Sporting Management, will be looking to maintain his form as the season progresses and will now be eyeing an improved performance when Gaziantep face Beşiktaş, who have Super Eagles captain Wilfred Ndidi in their ranks, in their next match on May 1.
Unity Cup: Could Eric Chelle hand Gidado a call-up?
Nigeria will defend their Unity Cup title in London next month and head coach Eric Chelle has already hinted at giving opportunities to new players.
That could open the door for Gidado, whose recent performances in Turkey may have strengthened his case for a national team call-up, given how impressive he has been since he moved to Turkey earlier in the year.
Still only 21, he has plenty of time on his side and could be the long-term replacement for Ndidi in the heart of the Nigerian midfield. Even if he misses out this time, it will only be a matter of time before he eventually earns a call-up to play for the national team.