Super Lig Round-Up: Galatasaray Seizes Advantage as Fenerbahce Falters Before Derby Showdown

With Fenerbahce taking the field on Friday night, just one point behind Galatasaray, they had yet another opportunity to temporarily ascend to the summit.

Time and again, they’ve had these chances—not only this season but over the past few years—but they’ve consistently failed to seize the moment and exert any pressure on their rivals.

At home against Rizespor, one might have expected the players to start swiftly, but they came out strangely sluggish and uninspired, managing nothing of significance in the first half.

The half-time interval did little to invigorate them—in fact, it had the opposite effect.

Just minutes after the restart, Rize shocked the home crowd by taking the lead, with Ali Sowe tapping in at the back post.

As the minutes ticked away, it looked increasingly unlikely that Fenerbahce would find a way through Rizespor’s defence.

However, the dynamic of the match shifted in the 72nd minute when former Fener defender Samet Akaydin received a second yellow card, reducing Rizespor to 10 men.

This was precisely the spark Fenerbahce needed, and they soon found their equaliser, courtesy of Andeson Talisca, who converted a penalty after being fouled.

With the momentum on their side, a second goal felt inevitable as they ramped up the pressure, and it was Kerem Akturkoglu who slipped in to grab the lead, sending the home supporters into raptures.

With a 2-1 advantage against 10 men at home, fans were convinced that they were about to rise to the top of the table.

But, as has unfortunately been the case with Fenerbahce in recent times, calamity ensued.

In the game’s dying moments, Rizespor were awarded a free kick on the edge of their own half. Fenerbahce merely needed to see out the match.

The goalkeeper launched a speculative kick into the Fenerbahce penalty area, which didn’t appear very threatening at first.

However, for some inexplicable reason, former Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson charged out, completely misjudging his attempt to intercept the ball, leaving the net unattended.

Rizespor’s Modibo Sagnan seized the opportunity, nodding the ball into the net and securing a last-gasp 2-2 draw, leaving the home crowd in despair and disbelief.

This was yet another glaring missed opportunity for Fenerbahce—a pattern that seems to repeat endlessly.

Whenever they have a chance to apply pressure on Galatasaray, it seems that no matter the opponent or the circumstances, they concede a late goal that robs them of the victory.

Back in February, they managed to score in stoppage time against 10-man Kasimpasa, taking a 1-0 lead only to concede in the 101st minute for a frustrating draw.

These instances are but a few among a long history of squandered chances over the past few seasons. It suggests a struggle with pressure and an inability to cope with the notion of seizing the top position.

With another painful setback, the question arises: can Galatasaray take advantage?

Galatasaray creates valuable cushion ahead of derby

The next day, Galatasaray faced relegation-threatened Genclerbirligi.

Victor Osimhen remained sidelined due to an arm injury, as the club opted to rest him for the forthcoming clash with Fenerbahce.

This allowed Mauro Icardi to step in as the striker, and the Argentine wasted no time, giving Galatasaray an early 1-0 advantage within the opening two minutes with a clever finish following an assist from Leroy Sane.

By the 35th minute, they were 2-0 up, as Yunus Akgun found the net, tapping in from close range after a perfect setup from Gabriel Sara.

Galatasaray appeared quite comfortable as they controlled the game.

They thought they had extended their lead to 3-0 when Sane scored, but a VAR review controversially disallowed the goal for one of the most baffling offside calls imaginable.

Galatasaray were penalised for Yunus being marginally offside, although he had no impact on the play, which left players and coach Okan Buruk fuming.

To add to their frustrations, M’Baye Niang reduced the deficit for Genclerbirligi just minutes later.

The game became increasingly chaotic and nerve-wracking for the visitors as Genclerbirligi aggressively pushed for an equaliser, desperately seeking points vital for their Super Lig survival.

Nevertheless, Galatasaray ultimately secured a crucial 2-1 away win, creating a valuable four-point buffer with only four matches remaining.

This result grants them some breathing space heading into their home derby against Fenerbahce, knowing that avoiding defeat will put them in a strong position, while Fenerbahce finds itself in a must-win scenario to keep their title hopes alive.

Furthermore, Osimhen is likely to make his return, giving Galatasaray a much stronger attacking force.

They are now in prime position, and their weekend was further bolstered when Trabzonspor conceded a last-minute goal to end in a 1-1 draw with Istanbul Basaksehir, leaving them six points adrift of the top.

Team of the Week

Yunus from Galatasaray and Fenerbahce’s Kerem also earn a spot in the Team of the Week, alongside their teammates Deian Sorescu, Alexandru Maxim, and Mohamed Bayo.