Super Eagles of Nigeria striker Umar Sadiq endured a night of mixed emotions as Valencia suffered a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to Athletic Bilbao in their Copa del Rey clash at the Mestalla.
Umar Sadiq found himself in the history books for a rare and unwanted reason. The Super Eagles forward became the first Valencia player to score both for and against the club in a single Spanish competition match.
His difficult evening began in the 26th minute when he inadvertently turned a dangerous free kick into his own net while attempting to clear under pressure, handing Bilbao the lead.
However, the 27-year-old showed resilience and composure just 10 minutes later. Capitalising on a costly mistake by Bilbao goalkeeper Alex Padilla, Sadiq calmly rolled the ball into an empty net to level the score and restore hope for the home side.
Despite Valencia’s fightback, the visitors delivered the decisive blow deep into stoppage time. Ghana international Iñaki Williams struck in the sixth minute of added time to secure a dramatic victory and eliminate Valencia from the competition.
Sadiq’s performance drew sympathy rather than criticism from head coach Carlos Corberán, who defended the striker after the final whistle.
“I didn’t see Sadiq’s gesture, but I understand he was eager to score, and an own goal is always painful,” Corberán said.
“He’s contributed a lot of hard work, and no player wants to suffer an own goal.”
The equaliser was Sadiq’s second Copa del Rey goal since his return to Valencia in the winter transfer window, following his earlier strike in the 2-0 win over Burgos CF.
