It was an eventful night for Nigerian defender Bright Osayi-Samuel, as his Fenerbahce side secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Union Saint-Gilloise in their European clash.
However, the triumph came with mixed emotions for Osayi-Samuel, who was shown a red card late in the match after two quick yellow cards, one of which resulted in a penalty.
Coming on as a second-half substitute, Osayi-Samuel found himself in the spotlight for the wrong reasons when his mistimed challenge in stoppage time handed USG a penalty, adding a dramatic twist to an already tense encounter. Fortunately for Fenerbahce, Dominik Livakovic came to the rescue, denying Franjo Ivanovic from the spot, though USG still managed to pull one back in extra time through Ross Sykes.
Fenerbahce initially gained control of the match with a 1-0 lead going into the break, courtesy of Çağlar Söyüncü’s close-range finish. Despite Union Saint-Gilloise’s early attacking threats, including Jaden Oosterwolde’s crucial clearance to prevent Noah Sadiki from scoring and two sharp saves by Livakovic from Ivanovic, the Turkish side broke the deadlock.
After the break, Fenerbahce nearly doubled their advantage as Youssef En-Nesyri’s header was dramatically cleared off the line. The Moroccan forward was later involved in a pivotal moment when USG’s Kevin Mac Allister was shown a straight red card for a rough challenge on him, reducing the Belgian team to 10 men.
Fenerbahce capitalized on their numerical superiority, scoring a second goal in the 82nd minute after a defensive blunder forced Christian Burgess to put the ball into his own net. With a 2-0 cushion, it seemed like smooth sailing for the Turkish side, but Osayi-Samuel’s red card sparked a late resurgence for USG.
Despite Livakovic saving Ivanovic’s penalty, USG persisted and eventually scored through Sykes in stoppage time. The late goal made for a nervy finish, but Fenerbahce held firm, extending their unbeaten streak against Belgian opposition and claiming their first European win of the season.
