Super Eagles midfielder Wilfred Ndidi has questioned the quality of officiating in Beşiktaş's 1-0 loss to Fenerbahçe on Sunday evening, Soccernet.ng reports.
Ndidi anchored the midfield as his side traveled to the Chobani Stadium for a high-stakes Istanbul derby against league rivals Fenerbahçe.
The match carried immense weight for both clubs, not just for bragging rights, but for the Süper Lig title race. The Yellow Canaries entered the fray trailing leaders Galatasaray by just four points.
Both teams were locked in a stalemate from the opening whistle, with neither side able to break the deadlock in the first half.
The tension continued into the second period, though Fenerbahçe saw a 56th-minute goal from Gökhan Sazdağı ruled out for offside.
The match appeared destined for a goalless draw until the 11th minute of stoppage time, when referee Yasin Kol awarded a controversial penalty to the hosts.
Emmanuel Agbadou had lunged into a tackle to win the ball from Dorgeles Nené; while the challenge appeared rash in real-time, replays showed Agbadou had won the ball cleanly before a follow through.
Fenerbahçe nin kazandığı penaltı şaka gibi
Allah sizi bildiği gibi yapsın
Yasin Kol
Fenerbahçe Beşiktaş #FbvBjk pic.twitter.com/Hne6y75Ljg
— İbrahim Karadeniz (@Fikirtepeli_83) April 5, 2026
Kerem Aktürkoğlu stepped up to convert the spot-kick, securing a 1-0 victory for Fenerbahçe.
Wilfred Ndidi Criticizes Turkish Officiating
Clearly frustrated by the result, Wilfred Ndidi was among the players who protested the decision on the pitch.
Despite the presence of VAR in the Turkish Süper Lig, the referee declined to review the incident — or perhaps was not prompted to do so by the VAR booth.
Following the match, the Nigerian international took to social media to express his frustration with the officiating.
He posted on Instagram: “How can you have VAR and decide not to check? I'm still trying to understand.”
Such a high-profile error in a game with significant title implications is a poor reflection on Turkish football.
For years, several Süper Lig clubs have alleged referee favoritism in games. Decisions like Yasin Kol’s on Sunday only make it harder for the league to distance itself from those accusations.
