Fenerbahçe Drops Crucial Points in Turkish Super Lig Title Race Against Galatasaray
Fenerbahçe lost two crucial points in the Turkish Super Lig title race, further tightening the gap between themselves and table-toppers Galatasaray. The Istanbul giants currently sit second with 72 points, while Galatasaray leads with 77. It's been a somewhat rough coaching experience for José Mourinho, fondly called "The Special One" due to his knack for winning trophies. First, Fenerbahçe lost twice to bitter rivals Galatasaray—once in the league and more recently in the Turkish Cup, where they crashed out following a 2-1 home defeat.
In their recent match against Kayserispor, Fenerbahçe dominated play with 27 shots (7 on target) and 72% possession, compared to Kayserispor’s 4 shots (3 on target) and 28% possession. However, as Mourinho himself said, it's goals that win games, not stats.
Fenerbahçe’s players appeared complacent during the draw. Yousef El-Nesyri notably failed to score an open net. Kayserispor opened the scoring in the 7th minute before Anderson Talisca equalized. An own goal gave Kayserispor the lead once again, but Allan Saint-Maximin pulled Fenerbahçe level. A penalty won by Milan Škriniar and converted by Talisca made it 3-2. However, in the 90+4th minute, Tahla scored the equalizer, forcing both teams to share the spoils.
Midfielder Sebastian Szymański had a poor outing, losing the ball 19 times—an unusually high number for a central player.
El-Nesyri lost possession once, while Milan Škriniar not only lost the ball seven times but also committed an error that led to a goal.Osayi Samuel did not fare any better losing possession 5 times.
In short, Kayserispor capitalized on Fenerbahçe’s mistakes, particularly their sloppy ball handling, which Mourinho also highlighted in his post-match interview.
What’s Next for Fenerbahçe?
Fenerbahçe faces Gaziantep FK next week and must win to keep their title hopes alive. With six matches remaining, they’ll be hoping Galatasaray drops points—a scenario that looks unlikely given the defending champions' solid form.
Galatasaray boasts a lethal attack featuring Victor Osimhen and Yunus Akgün. In midfield, the arrival of Mario Lemina has brought balance, while their defense has been shored up by former Trabzonspor left-back Eren Elmalı. Galatasaray would need just 4 wins and a draw to clinch the championship
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