Nigeria international Umar Sadiq etched his name into Valencia CF history during a dramatic 2-1 Copa del Rey defeat to Athletic Bilbao at the Mestalla on Wednesday.
In a night full of twists, Sadiq made headlines for an unusual feat: scoring at both ends of the pitch. The Super Eagles striker inadvertently gave Bilbao the lead in the 26th minute before netting an equalizer for Valencia 10 minutes later.
Sadiq’s double impact made him the first Valencia player to score both for and against the club in a single Spanish competition match. Additionally, he became the first La Liga player to register a goal and an own goal in a Copa del Rey fixture since Verza for Almería against Getafe in January 2015.
The 27-year-old’s night began in misfortune. Under pressure from a dangerous free-kick, Sadiq unintentionally glanced the ball past his own goalkeeper, gifting Athletic Bilbao an early advantage. However, he quickly redeemed himself by capitalizing on a mistake from Bilbao keeper Alex Padilla, slotting the ball into an empty net to level the score.
Despite Sadiq’s efforts, Athletic Bilbao struck late. Ghanaian forward Iñaki Williams scored six minutes into stoppage time, securing a dramatic victory and eliminating Valencia from the Copa del Rey.
Valencia coach Carlos Corberán defended Sadiq after the match, saying:
“I didn’t see Sadiq’s gesture, but I understand he was eager to score, and an own goal is always painful. He’s contributed a lot of hard work, and no player wants to suffer an own goal.”
Sadiq’s equalizer marked his second Copa del Rey goal since rejoining Valencia during the winter transfer window, following his strike in the 2-0 win over Burgos CF.
With this record-breaking performance, Umar Sadiq remains a headline-maker in La Liga and Copa del Rey history, even on a night of heartbreak for Valencia CF.
