Nigerian winger Philip Azango has enjoyed a flying start to his 2026/27 preseason preparations.
The forward netted a vital equaliser to spark a dramatic first-half comeback, helping Slovakian outfit Spartak Trnava secure a hard-fought 3-2 friendly win over Turkish Super Lig giants Beşiktaş on Wednesday evening.
Azango Sparks Comeback Victory Over Beşiktaş
Playing at the Štadión Antona Malatinského, Trnava found themselves trailing early on when Beşiktaş youngster İlhan Fakılı broke the deadlock just 13 minutes into the match.
However, the hosts responded with an impressive attacking burst, netting three goals in just eight minutes before the interval.
Azango got the ball rolling with the equaliser, followed quickly by strikes from Lorent Mehmeti and Filip Trello to send Trnava into the break with a commanding 3-1 lead.
The match also featured a notable Nigerian matchup, as Super Eagles captain Wilfred Ndidi started in midfield for Beşiktaş before being substituted at halftime for Ahmet Sami Bircan.
Though Tiago Djaló pulled one back for the Turkish side in the 78th minute, Trnava withstood the late pressure to seal the victory.
Building Momentum for Europe
After a 2-2 draw against Šamorín and a 3-1 defeat to Hanácká Slavia in their pre-season preparations, the Slovakian outfit finally bounced back to winning ways.
Azango will head into the new campaign full of confidence as he looks to build on his solid 2025/26 campaign.
Last season, the winger registered eight direct goal contributions across all competitions, scoring three goals and assisting two in the Slovak First League, alongside two goals and one assist during their UEFA Conference League campaign.
With his scoring boots already on, Azango and his teammates will look to carry this winning momentum into competitive action when they face CSKA 1948 Sofia in their upcoming UEFA Conference League qualifying match on Wednesday.