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Bamidele Yusuf’s Europa League Fury: Ferencváros Stuns Salzburg 3–2

Published 3 hours ago2 minute read
Precious Eseaye
Precious Eseaye
Bamidele Yusuf’s Europa League Fury: Ferencváros Stuns Salzburg 3–2

Ferencváros pulled off a thrilling UEFA Europa League upset, rallying from behind to defeat RB Salzburg 3–2 in an electrifying Group Stage encounter. Nigerian forward Bamidele Yusuf was the hero of the night, scoring the decisive goal that capped a remarkable turnaround for the Hungarian champions.

The match began with Salzburg’s Edmund Baidoo striking in the 13th minute to give the hosts an early advantage. But Ferencváros, known for their fighting spirit, stormed back with a stunning three-goal blitz in just eight minutes early in the second half.

Barnabás Varga ignited the comeback in the 50th minute, before Kristoffer Zachariassen’s 56th-minute finish put the visitors ahead 2–1. The decisive moment arrived two minutes later when Yusuf coolly converted from close range to make it 3–1, completing an astonishing turnaround. Though Yorbe Vertessen pulled one back for Salzburg in the 72nd minute, Ferencváros held firm to claim their second win in three Europa League matches this season — following a 1–1 draw with Viktoria Plzen and a narrow 1–0 win over KRC Genk.

Moments after the final whistle, an elated Yusuf celebrated on social media, writing simply: “We did it. Great fight.” It was a moment of pride and emotion for the 24-year-old Nigerian, who had just scored his first-ever Europa League goal in only his second appearance of the season.

Since joining Ferencváros from FK Vojvodina in the summer, the Jos-born winger has been in electric form. Thursday’s strike was his fifth goal in five games for the Green Eagles, cementing his status as a fan favorite among the Budapest faithful. Overall, Yusuf has tallied eight goals and four assists in ten matches across all competitions, including an incredible four-goal explosion in a 15–0 Hungarian Cup win over Szarvaskend earlier in the campaign.

Yusuf’s football journey is a story of determination and steady rise. Born in Jos, he began with local side FC Obazz before moving to Europe in 2019 to join FC Spartak Trnava in Slovakia. Stints at G.D. Estoril Praia in Portugal and Radnički Niš in Serbia followed, giving him the continental experience that now fuels his confident displays on the European stage.

As Ferencváros continue to impress in the Europa League, Yusuf’s star keeps shining brighter, embodying the hunger, flair, and resilience that have come to define Nigeria’s new generation of football exports.

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