Wilfred Ndidi played the full 90 minutes as Besiktas were held to a 1–1 draw by Swiss side Lausanne in the first leg of their UEFA Europa Conference League final qualifying clash.
Both goals came late in either half. Milot Rashica gave Besiktas the lead in first-half stoppage time, while Bryan Okoh equalized for Lausanne in the 83rd minute.
Ndidi was the third-best player on the pitch, behind Okoh and Rashica.
The Nigerian international delivered an all-round performance: playing the full 90 minutes, registering three clean tackles, two crucial blocks, and two key clearances that prevented potential goal-scoring opportunities.
He also made four ball recoveries, won 88% of his ground duels, and 86% of his aerial duels.
In attack, Ndidi was equally influential. He completed 10 passes into the final third, successfully completed 100% of his dribbles, and finished the match with an 85% pass completion rate.
Besiktas manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer expressed his disappointment after the draw, criticizing his team for missed chances and a lapse in defense:
“We had control, we had the chances, but when you don’t score the second, you leave the door open,” the Norwegian said. “Conceding from a corner like that is frustrating, but in Europe, an away draw always leaves you with something to play for. Next week will be exciting.”
Besiktas will host Lausanne at Vodafone Park next Thursday. The winner of the tie will advance directly to the UEFA Europa Conference League group stage.
