Junior Olaitan produced an impressive midfield performance as Besiktas came from behind to beat Fenerbahce 2-1 away from home on Saturday, strengthening the Benin international’s growing importance to the Turkish club.
The victory came on the fourth matchday of the Super Lig, with Fenerbahce taking the lead before Besiktas responded to secure the points. At the centre of the visitors’ performance was Olaitan, who played a prominent role in linking his team’s play and helping them control the midfield.
Olaitan completed 31 of his 34 attempted passes during the match. His activity in the middle of the pitch made him a key part of Besiktas’s build-up, particularly as the side sought to recover from conceding the opening goal.
The Benin midfielder was also heavily involved when Besiktas had possession in advanced areas. He completed 24 passes in the opposition half, underlining his willingness to look for teammates further up the pitch rather than simply recycling possession in deeper positions.
In his own half, Olaitan attempted eight passes and completed seven. Taken together with his overall passing figures, the statistics reflected a player who remained involved across the pitch and provided consistency during a demanding away fixture.
His performance against Fenerbahce adds to the impression that Olaitan is beginning to establish himself within Besiktas’s playing structure. The midfielder’s passing accuracy was recorded at 96%, while his overall contribution helped him become one of the most influential players in the contest.
Besiktas’s result was particularly notable because Fenerbahce had made the stronger start on the scoreboard. The visitors nevertheless showed collective determination to overturn the deficit and leave with a 2-1 win.
For Olaitan, the display represents another step in his development at club level. He is taking on a more significant role in Besiktas’s game and increasingly occupying an important position in the team’s midfield organisation.
The progress will also be welcomed by Benin, with the start of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign only days away. Olaitan’s growing influence in Turkey places him in a strong position to become an important player for the Guepards.
His contribution in Istanbul was not defined by a goal or an assist, but by the volume and quality of his passing and his involvement in the way Besiktas built attacks. Against one of the Super Lig’s leading opponents, he helped provide the control and composure required for his side to complete a comeback victory.