Nigerian midfielder Victor Ntino-Emo Gidado was in action for Gaziantep FK, but his efforts were not enough to prevent a heavy 3-0 loss to Eyupspor on Saturday.
Gaziantep had entered the fixture hoping to secure their 10th league victory of the campaign, yet they were outplayed on the road.
The outcome allowed Eyupspor to move out of the relegation zone, at least provisionally pending the completion of matchday 31.
The encounter, held at the Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Stadium in Istanbul, saw Umut Bozok, Charles-André Raux-Yao, and Metehan Altunbaş find the back of the net in an entertaining contest. Eyupspor approached the game fighting to escape relegation, while Gaziantep occupied a more comfortable mid-table position.
Following a subdued opening half, the match sprang to life after the break. Bozok opened the scoring just past the hour mark, and Raux-Yao quickly added a second goal within minutes to give the hosts firm control. Despite Gaziantep’s attempts to respond, Eyupspor extended their advantage when Altunbaş finished off a move assisted by Bozok, capping an outstanding individual display that included three goal contributions.
The victory lifted Eyupspor into 15th place in the standings, while Gaziantep remained 10th, though their position could still change depending on other results.
Gidado, who made the move from NK Bravo in January, was named in the starting lineup for his eighth league appearance. The 21-year-old midfielder delivered a strong personal performance, continuing to show his growing influence since joining the club.
He stood out as Gaziantep’s top performer, earning a 7.0 rating on Sofascore. Gidado completed 88% of his passes, registered 12 defensive actions, and won six of his eight ground duels. His display also included three successful tackles before he was substituted in the 86th minute for Luis Pérez.
Having previously highlighted the role of fellow Nigerians such as Victor Osimhen and Paul Onuachu in helping him adapt to the league, Gidado will now aim to maintain his momentum. Attention shifts to Gaziantep’s next fixture against Beşiktaş on May 1, where they will look for an improved outing.
