Super Eagles captain, Joseph Yobo, Saturday continued in his drive to cast aspersion on the decision of the Eagles chief coach Stephen Keshi to keep him out of the national team on ground of poor performance, as he scored his first league goal of the season for Fenerbahce as the 2013/14 Turkish Super Lig got underway.
Yobo’s effort in 16th minute represented Fenerbahce’s first league goal of the season in their 2-3 loss to Konyaspor at the Konya Ataturk Spor Kompleksi (Konya).
The Super Eagles captain showed his lethal attributes from set pieces as he rose highest in a crowded Konyaspor penalty area to meet Emre Belozoglu’s precise cross from the left with a powerful header which beat Cameroonian keeper, Charles-Hubert Itandje in goal for the home side.
The evening however ended in disappointment for Yobo as three defensive errors from Fenerbahce gifted Konyaspor an unlikely 3-2 win in front of a partisan crowd.
The 32-year-old, who joined Fenerbahce in 2011, has now scored two goals in 60 league appearances for the Turkish giants.
Yobo and his Fenerbahce teammates will now look to improve rapidly ahead on their Uefa Champions League playoff game against Arsenal this week.
Yobo said he was disappointed his goal was not enough to get Fenerbahce off to a winning start in the Turkish league.
Fenerbache lost 3-2 in the opening game of the campaign at Konyaspor on Saturday.
Yobo, who gave his side the lead in the 26th minute with a diving header, said he was disappointed Fenerbache lost the game as he would have loved to have got off to a winning start in the new season.
“I wish my goal gave us all the three points,” the Nigeria skipper lamented.
“It’s really a tough situation. We have learnt our lessons and we need to fix ourselves. We were disappointed.
“We have to put this defeat behind us and now hope to get victory against Arsenal (in the UEFA Champions League playoff match on Wednesday).”
The highly experienced central defender has stayed put at the top Istanbul club amid speculations in the close season that he could be shipped out on loan.
Yobo’s compatriot Emmanuel Emenike debuted for the Istanbul giants after his big-money move from Russia’s Spartak Moscow, but fired blanks.
