Former Nigeria youth international, David Okereke found the net for the second time this season in Gaziantepspor's commanding 3-0 victory over Istanbul Basaksehir in the Turkish Super Lig on Saturday.
The Nigerian forward, on loan from Italian side Cremonese, added a late flourish to the win with a well-taken goal in the 75th minute.
Okereke began the game on the bench but made an immediate impact after being introduced in the 71st minute for Halil Dervişoğlu. Just four minutes later, he latched onto a perfectly weighted through ball from Badou Ndiaye and fired a right-footed shot into the center of the goal.
The 27-year-old’s strike sealed a clinical performance for Gaziantepspor, who had earlier taken control through goals from Kacper Kozłowski (28’) and Deian Sorescu (45’+3). However, Okereke's joy was slightly dampened as he received a yellow card for dissent in the 95th minute.
Match stats: Minimal touches, maximum impact
Okereke made the most of his 20 minutes on the pitch. The forward registered one shot on target, his goal, with an expected goals (xG) rating of 0.51.
His limited touches (nine in total) belied his efficiency, as he contributed four accurate passes out of eight attempts and won one aerial duel.
Although he lost possession four times and did not attempt any dribbles, his performance was a reflection of his growing confidence during this loan spell in Turkey.
This season, Okereke has appeared in seven matches for Gaziantepspor, starting five of them and averaging 70 minutes per game. He has now scored two goals and provided one assist, further solidifying his role in the team as they climb to 10th in the league standings with 15 points from 12 matches.
A former Nigeria U23 international, Okereke was invited to train with the Super Eagles by manager Gernot Rohr ahead of an international friendly against Egypt in March 2019 but was a non-playing substitute.
