Troost-Ekong's own goal provokes painful Man City legend comparison

Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong endured a challenging night after he inadvertently deflected the ball into his own net during his club Al Kholood’s tough 3-2 home defeat to Neom SC in the Saudi Pro League.

The unfortunate 32nd-minute own goal proved to be the match-winner for the visitors, immediately sparking widespread, if slightly humorous, comparisons on social media to a legendary Manchester City defender known for his numerous own goals. The result deepens Al Kholood's slump, marking their fourth loss in seven games.

The fixture at Al Kholood's home ground began at a high tempo. The hosts seized an early advantage when Kévin N’Doram netted just five minutes in. However, the lead was short-lived, with Neom SC’s Saïd Benrahma, another former Premier League star, equalising only three minutes later.

The decisive moment arrived in the 32nd minute. Despite a generally solid defensive setup, an unlucky deflection off the boot of Troost-Ekong steered the ball past his own goalkeeper, handing the visitors a crucial 2-1 lead heading into halftime.

Benrahma extended Neom’s advantage in the 66th minute to 3-1 before a late consolation goal from Ramiro Enrique in the 82nd minute provided little comfort, confirming the 3-2 defeat.

While the own goal grabbed the headlines and led to fans on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) branding the Nigerian as "Nigeria’s Richard Dunne", a nod to the former Manchester City and Republic of Ireland defender who holds the Premier League record for own goals (10), a deeper look at Troost-Ekong’s full performance reveals a more complex picture.

"An error that spoils a good performance. Head up skipper!!!" stated another fan reaction on Social Media

The Super Eagles skipper recorded impressive defensive metrics, notably winning 100% of his tackles and 100% of his ground duels.

He also registered a high volume of defensive actions, making 6 clearances and engaging in 8 duels overall. This data suggests the own goal was an isolated, unfortunate error rather than a reflection of a poor overall defensive showing.

The loss is a big setback for Al Kholood, their second straight defeat and pushing them down to ninth place in the Saudi First Division table. The pressure will now mount on the Ar Rass-based club to reverse their slump.

For Troost-Ekong, the incident is a rare moment of adversity in what has largely been a strong period following his costly own goal for Nigeria against South Africa in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier.

The social media noise, including comparisons to other blundering defenders like Wes Brown or Pascal Cygan, highlights the intense scrutiny placed on key national team players, regardless of the league they play in.

William Troost-Ekong’s unfortunate own goal proved decisive in a tough night for Al Kholood. Despite the reaction and the defeat, the captain's individual statistics affirm his continued commitment and defensive work rate.

Al Kholood will seek an immediate bounce-back result when they travel to face Al Qadsiah FC on November 6th.