By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Nigerian midfielder Wilfred Ndidi marked his new leadership role at Beşiktaş in style, scoring in the club’s 2–0 victory over Tümosan Konyaspor in the Turkish Super Lig on Sunday.
Ndidi, recently named one of Beşiktaş’s assistant captains despite joining the club only in the summer, delivered a commanding performance that underlined his growing influence in Istanbul.
The 27-year-old opened the scoring with a precise finish midway through the first half, setting the tone for a confident team display. His leadership and composure anchored the Black Eagles both defensively and in midfield transition, inspiring his teammates to a vital three points.
“The match went as planned. We knew it would be tough, but we wanted to win — and we did,” Ndidi said after the game.
“We worked hard on organizing set pieces in training, and it paid off. Everything we prepared came together perfectly.”
The result extended Beşiktaş’s recent run of positive form and provided a morale boost as the club continues its push toward the top of the Turkish Super Lig standings.
Ndidi’s goal and performance further underline his seamless adaptation to Turkish football and his growing reputation as a leader both on and off the pitch.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
