Ghanaian defender Jerome Opoku played a key role as İstanbul Başakşehir recorded an emphatic 5-1 victory over Gaziantep in the Turkish Super Lig on Monday night.
The tall centre-back was named in the starting lineup once again and stayed on the pitch for the full 90 minutes, putting in a solid and confident performance at the back. Opoku crowned his impressive outing by providing an assist for Başakşehir’s fifth and final goal, spotting Ivan Brnic with a well-timed pass.
Başakşehir took the lead in the 21st minute through Eldor Shomurodov, but Gaziantep responded shortly after when Drissa Camara found the equaliser. The visitors’ joy was brief, as Abbosbek Fayzullaev restored the home side’s advantage just three minutes later.
After the interval, Arsa Kızıldağ’s own goal further widened the gap before Umut Güneş sealed the convincing win with the fourth goal, setting the stage for Opoku’s assist late in the game.
Reacting after the match, the former Fulham academy defender shared his excitement, expressing his happiness at contributing an assist and sending warm holiday wishes to fans and loved ones.
Opoku has enjoyed a strong season with İstanbul Başakşehir so far, making 15 league appearances and continuing to grow in confidence with consistent performances. His display against Gaziantep further underlined his importance to the team as the season progresses.
