Ghanaian defender Jerome Opoku delivered a commanding all-round display as Istanbul Basaksehir tore Gaziantep apart in a ruthless 5–1 Super Lig demolition on Monday night.
The towering centre-back was once again trusted from the first whistle and justified his selection with a performance that blended defensive authority with attacking intelligence. Opoku played the full 90 minutes and capped his night by providing the assist for Basaksehir’s fifth goal, crowning a dominant team showing.
With the contest already beyond doubt, Opoku spotted Ivan Brnic in space and released him with precision, allowing the Croatian to apply the finishing touch and put the final flourish on an emphatic victory.
Basaksehir had earlier seized control when Eldor Shomurodov opened the scoring in the 21st minute. Gaziantep briefly threatened a response as Drissa Camara pulled level five minutes later, but any hope of a fightback was swiftly extinguished.
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Just three minutes after conceding, Abbosbek Fayzullaev restored the home side’s advantage, reasserting Basaksehir’s grip on the contest before the interval.
The second half became a procession. Arda Kizildag inadvertently turned the ball into his own net to make it 3-1, before Umut Gunes struck with 22 minutes remaining to further widen the gulf between the two sides. From there, Basaksehir coasted, with Opoku’s late assist providing the exclamation point.
The Ghana international took to social media after the match to express his delight, writing:
“Enjoyment. Nice to grab an assist. Happy holidays family,”
Opoku’s influence has grown steadily this season. The former Fulham academy product has now featured 15 times in the league campaign and continues to cement his status as a key pillar in Basaksehir’s back line, combining composure, consistency, and an increasing impact at both ends of the pitch.
