The Algerian winger bagged his maiden goal in what was an emphatic away win for the Black Eagles on Monday evening
Rachid Ghezzal has expressed his happiness to have opened his Besiktas goal account as the Black Eagles saw off Genclerbirligi 3-0 in Monday’s Super Lig outing.
The Algeria international joined the Turkish Super Lig outfit on a season-loan from Premier League side Leicester City having failed to impress at the King Power Stadium.
Ghezzal had featured in 16 league games for Sergen Yalcin’s men without finding the net, however, he broke the duck with a first-half stunner at the Eryaman Stadium.
Profiting from a Valentin Rosier pass outside the Wind of Ankara goal area, the 28-year-old beat his marker before unleashing a beauty past goalkeeper Kristoffer Nordfeldt in the fourth minute.
Speaking after the game, the former AS Monaco and Lyon man is pleased to have ended his wait while disclosing that it would be anomalous to see Yalcin’s team drop any points in the ‘tight’ title race.
“We played well as a team today. I’m delighted to score my first goal for Besiktas. But winning was more important for us today because our rivals had also won,” Ghezzal told club website.
“In this tight race, we cannot afford to give away any points at this stage. In order not to fall behind, we must all remain focused.”
A minute from full time, new arrival Cent Tosun doubled the lead for the Black Eagles before completing his brace in the closing stages of the encounter.
Thanks to this result, Besiktas are second in the Super Lig table with 51 points from 24 outings in the 2020-21 campaign.
Unbeaten in their last four games in all competitions, they welcome Denizlispor to Istanbul’s Vodafone Park on February 26.
Ghezzal joined the Foxes in the summer of 2018 as a direct replacement for his compatriot Riyad Mahrez, who left for Manchester City.
However, he failed to live up to expectations and was sent on loan to Serie A outfit Fiorentina, with the Violets having an option to make the deal permanent.
In the 2019-20 season, he played in 19 Italian top-flight games and scored once in the 3-1 defeat of Lecce on July 15, 2020.
Despite featuring for France at U20 level, Ghezzal pledged his international allegiance to Algeria. He was axed from Djamel Belmadi’s squad to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations staged in Egypt.
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