Nigerian midfielder Ededem Essien has expressed his joy after winning the 2025 Kazakhstan Cup with his club, Tobol, SportsRation reports.
Essien, who is popularly known by his nickname Pappy, took to his social media page on Saturday, 4 October, to celebrate the victory. He wrote:
“We came,
We saw,
And
We conquered by lifting the Kazakhstan Cup.
We are Tobol The Champions.”
The midfielder was named in the starting line-up and played the full 90 minutes as Tobol defeated Ordabasy 2–0 in the final held in Kyzylorda. Goals from Signevich N. in the 19th minute and Chesnokov I. in the 33rd minute sealed the victory for the Kostanay-based club.
Essien, born in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, joined Tobol in January 2024. The defensive midfielder, who wears the number 6 shirt, has been a key figure in the team since his arrival.
Before moving to Kazakhstan, Essien played for clubs including Van (Armenia), Al-Nasr Benghazi, Al Akhdar (Libya), and Pari Nizhny Novgorod (Russia).
By winning the Kazakhstan Cup, Tobol not only claimed national glory but also secured a spot in the second qualifying round of next season’s UEFA Conference League.