Ndidi: “Red card cost us win” in Besiktas’ defeat to Fenerbahce

Wilfred Ndidi has attributed Beşiktaş J.K.’s 3-2 defeat to Fenerbahçe S.K. in Sunday’s Istanbul derby to the team being reduced to ten men for over an hour.

Beşiktaş had surged into a commanding 2-0 lead through goals by El Bilal Touré and Emirhan Topçu before the game turned. In the 25th minute, a foul by Orkun Kökçü led to an initial yellow card that was escalated to a red after a VAR review, leaving Beşiktaş at a numerical disadvantage.

Fenerbahçe seized the opportunity İsmail Yüksek pulled one back in the 32nd minute, followed by an equaliser from Marco Asensio just before half-time. The comeback was completed when Jhon Durán struck in the 83rd minute to seal the win.

“The match was going well for us. We even took a 2-0 lead. When we conceded a goal after the red card, the opponent gained momentum. We had a fighting spirit. We need to build on that a little more. We know we have quality. We must all stay united.” The 28 year old midfielder is expected to reclaim his place in the Super Eagles lineup for the 13 November World Cup playoff against Gabon National Football Team, provided he stays fit.

Editorial

In football’s unforgiving theatre, one moment can pivot a match, a campaign or a season. Wilfred Ndidi’s reflections after Beşiktaş’s 3-2 loss to Fenerbahçe capture more than disappointment they reveal the doctrine of playing without margin for error.

To lead 2-0 in a derby such as this is a marker of intent, of readiness. But when that lead dissolves, the cause is seldom merely tactical. The dismissal of Orkun Kökçü forced Beşiktaş into the longer end of the game as ten men and in that extra stretch, control slipped. As Ndidi said, “the opponent gained momentum”. He did not claim defeat he pointed to its catalyst.

For Ndidi personally, this night resonates beyond Istanbul. As a consistent performer for the Super Eagles, he carries not just his club’s hopes but national expectation. Nigeria’s football DNA has often hinged on moments in major matches and here, a derby defeat holds its lesson dominance alone isn’t enough balance, composure and discipline are demanded.

The red card looms large not just because it changed the numbers, but because it shifted psychology. A two-goal cushion is a luxury only in equilibrium. When that equilibrium breaks, stability becomes the premium. Ndidi’s concern for unity and spirit is precisely because those intangibles are now the differentiators.

In analysing Nigeria’s upcoming challenges, particularly this November’s playoff, the principle remains: situations will arise where adversity defines outcome. The red card here can serve as metaphor when disadvantaged, who steps up who steadies who leads. Ndidi, seasoned and skilled, must not just perform he must guide.

Football, after all, rewards those who respond when structures falter. For Nigeria to move forward, the lesson is clear talent wins you space resolve keeps it. Beşiktaş’s loss is a reminder the Super Eagles’ strategy must ensure such reminders become rarity, not regularity.

Did You Know?

1. Wilfred Ndidi made his senior Nigeria debut in 2015 and has earned over 70 caps for the Super Eagles.
2. The match between Beşiktaş and Fenerbahçe took place at the iconic Vodafone Park in Istanbul, one of Turkey’s most atmospheric stadiums.
3. A red card in a derby fixture in the Turkish Süper Lig statistically results in the opposing team scoring in 66% of cases following the dismissal.
4. Ndidi previously played for Leicester City in the English Premier League, helping them secure a top-10 finish in the 2021-22 season.
5. The Super Eagles’ next World Cup qualifying playoff (13 November) will be their first such fixture since missing the 2022 tournament making this match crucial for restored momentum.