'We even took a 2-0 lead' - Ndidi blames red card for Besiktas loss to Fenerbahce

Wilfred Ndidi has attributed Besiktas' 3–2 defeat to Fenerbahce in Sunday's heated Istanbul derby to the team's numerical disadvantage after playing with ten men for more than an hour.

The Black Eagles appeared to be cruising towards victory at Besiktas Park after taking a commanding two-goal lead, courtesy of strikes from El Bilal Touré and Emirhan Topcu. 

However, the match turned dramatically in the 25th minute when Orkun Kökçü, initially cautioned for a foul on Alvarez, saw his yellow card upgraded to a red following a VAR review by referee Ali Yılmaz.

Fenerbahce took full advantage of the situation, launching a spirited comeback to claim all three points. 

İsmail Yüksek pulled one back in the 32nd minute, Marco Asensio levelled the scores in first-half stoppage time and Jhon Duran completed the turnaround with the match-winning goal in the 83rd minute.

Speaking after the match, Ndidi admitted that the game had been firmly under control until the red card shifted the momentum in favour of Fenerbahce.

"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," Ndidi told beIN Sports. 

"We wanted to stay in the match. We had a fighting spirit. We need to build on that a little more. We know we have quality. We must all stay united."

Provided he remains fit, Ndidi is expected to be named in the Super Eagles starting lineup on November 13 when they take on Gabon's Panthers in the 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifying playoff.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

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