Galatasaray were crowned Turkish Super League champions for the 26th time in their history on Saturday after defeating Antalyaspor 4-2 at their RAMS Park stadium in Istanbul, in a thrilling match worthy of a final that forced the Lions to come from behind twice and was only decided in the closing minutes, allowing the side managed by Okan Buruk to mathematically secure their fourth consecutive league title.
The match got off to a difficult start for the Istanbul side, who needed a win to be mathematically crowned champions or, at the very least, to hope that Fenerbahçe – mired in a deep crisis following the sacking of Domenico Tedesco – would fail to pick up any points. They faced Antalyaspor, a team near the bottom of the table in the midst of a fight to avoid relegation, meaning a match that on paper could have been straightforward could prove tricky for the Süper Lig leaders.
And so it proved: the Antalya side surprised Galatasaray by taking the lead in first-half stoppage time thanks to a goal from Soner Dikmen, who headed home from a cross delivered from the right of the box. That was how the first 45 minutes ended, with the reigning champions from last season trailing by a goal whilst Fenerbahçe were already leading 0-1 in their match in Konya.
After the break, Galatasaray reacted through Mario Lemina, who scored in the 56th minute with a header from close range, sparking euphoria in the stands and restoring hope to the team. But there was still plenty of the match to go, and six minutes later it was Dikmen again who, with a spectacular strike from a free-kick, scored a spectacular goal, making the score 1-2 and silencing a stadium packed with red and yellow.
Two goals from Osimhen gave hope again to Galatasaray
There was less than half the match remaining, but all was not lost; in fact, fortune was about to turn the match in Galatasaray’s favour. Barely a minute later, the referee awarded a penalty after Victor Osimhen was brought down in the opposition’s box; he took the spot-kick himself, sealing the draw after wrong-footing the goalkeeper.
From then on, the Lions stepped up a gear and threw everything they had at their opponents: they knew they needed a win not only to be crowned champions, but also to make amends to their fans following the devastating defeat suffered against Samsunspor last week.
They tried everything – with several goal-scoring opportunities for Osimhen – but all their attempts were thwarted by Antalyaspor’s rock-solid defence and their goalkeeper, who made several memorable saves. We had to wait until the very last moment for, in the 88th minute and almost out of the blue, Galatasaray’s Nigerian star – and the most expensive signing in the history of Turkish football – to happen upon a ball in the six-yard box that fell at his feet following yet another save by Abdullah Yiğiter… He could barely get a heel to the ball, but it went in… And then, chaos broke out.
Jumping, shouts of joy, Osimhen running and taking off his glasses… Galatasaray were mathematically champions of the Turkish league, but the match wasn’t over yet, and Antalya could still spring a surprise. To make matters worse, the referee added 5 minutes of stoppage time… Nerves on edge, whistles from the stands urging the referee to end the match…
Mauro Icardi provided the pass that sealed the victory
Relief did not come until just before the final whistle. Argentine striker Mauro Icardi was the protagonist of a spectacular counter-attack that he started single-handedly from the centre of the pitch; he barely managed to get past the defence and reached the left flank, where he spotted the team’s German-Turkish defender, Kaan Ayhan, who somehow raced towards the opposition’s box like a rocket whilst the rest of his team were defending the result, dug in at the back: Icardi played him the golden pass and Ayhan fired the fourth and final goal of the night into the back of the net, sealing the match.
Less than two minutes after the goal, the referee blew the final whistle, but the fans and the bench had already been celebrating the victory for quite some time. It was all in vain that Fenerbahçe thrashed Konya 0-3: the team managed by Okan Buruk were crowned, for the fourth consecutive year, champions of the Turkish football league.
Galatasaray thus secures the 26th league title in its history. They have done so deservedly: because they have been the better side, because they have been more consistent – although Fenerbahçe have also made it quite difficult for them this year – and because they have demonstrated, once again, their absolute superiority in Turkish football today.
Match stats
| GALATASARAY | ANTALYASPOR | |
|---|---|---|
| Total shots | 21 | 6 |
| Shots on target | 7 | 3 |
| Possession | 72% | 28% |
| Fouls | 10 | 15 |
| Yellow cards | 4 | 3 |
| Red cards | 0 | 0 |
| Offsides | 6 | 0 |
| Corners | 6 | 1 |
Results of the 33rd round of the Super League
Turkish league: standings
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Edited and reviewed by:
Pablo Gómez is a specialist in Turkey and has been editor-in-chief of Hispanatolia since 2011. He has been analysing current affairs and geopolitics in Turkey and the surrounding region since 2006.
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