Super Eagles star Zaidu Sanusi reached a significant career milestone on Thursday evening, making his 150th appearance for FC Porto during their UEFA Europa League quarter-final clash.

However, the celebration was bittersweet as the Portuguese giants were held to a 1-1 home draw by Nottingham Forest in the first leg of the competition, Footballrover reports

Zaidu Sanusi Match Performance at the Estádio do Dragão

Playing the full 90 minutes, the Nigerian left-back delivered a commanding defensive performance.

Sanusi was heavily involved throughout the match, recording 77 touches and contributing across the pitch:

Playmaking: 10 passes into the final third.

Defence: 7 total defensive contributions, including 3 tackles won and 2 clearances.

Ball Recovery: 5 successful recoveries.

Sanusi joined Porto from Santa Clara in August 2020 on a five-year deal and quickly established himself as a key player in the starting XI.

A vital component of the 2021-22 Liga-winning squad, he has been a consistent presence in European competitions despite battling recent injury setbacks.

Now in his sixth season with the club, here is a look at his journey by the numbers:

Since joining Porto for the 2020/21 season, Sanusi’s involvement has gradually declined after a strong start.

He was a mainstay in his first two years, totalling 81 appearances and five goals and one assist across those campaigns. By his third season, his playing time dipped slightly to 31 matches with a goal to his name.

However, his recent seasons have been marred by inactivity; he was restricted to only ten games in his fourth year, scoring once, and saw his involvement dwindle further to just six appearances in his fifth.

After two difficult injury-plagued seasons where his game time plummeted, the 28-year-old appears to have rediscovered his fitness and form.

With 22 matches already under his belt this term, he is once again proving to be indispensable for Porto.

While Sanusi anchored the defence, his compatriot Terem Moffi also featured in the draw.

Moffi played 59 minutes and was instrumental in the buildup to Porto’s goal before being substituted for Deniz Gul.

The Super Eagles duo will now look toward the second leg in England to secure a spot in the semi-finals.

Sanusi and Moffi lead the charge in Eiuropa League

The first leg of the Europa League quarter-final between Porto and Nottingham Forest left the tie perfectly balanced.

Porto dominated the opening stages, eventually taking the lead when William Gomes tapped in a cross from Gabri Veiga.

However, their advantage was short-lived due to a bizarre 40-yard own goal by Martim Fernandes, whose overhit back-pass caught goalkeeper Diogo Costa off guard.

Despite a heavily rotated squad, Forest held firm. They were denied a second-half lead when Igor Jesus’ goal was overturned by VAR for a foul on the keeper.

Porto squandered late chances to secure a home win, including a missed header from Terem Moffi and a narrow strike by Victor Froholdt.

While Porto’s poor record against English sides continues, Nottingham Forest will likely be the happier side, heading back to the City Ground with the scores level and home-field advantage.

Like this post?
We’d be delighted to hear from you. Please leave a comment in the box below!

Last Updated on April 10, 2026 8:05 am by footballrover