Penalty in stoppage time sinks Fenerbahçe's league dreams

An penalty in stoppage time robbed Fenerbahçe the three points they needed to stay in contention with Galatasaray for the top spot in the Süper Lig after the Lions secured a 4-1 win over Pendikspor on Sunday. After a goalless 45 minutes (apart from a Manaj goal for Sivasspor after 14 minutes, disallowed for offside), it was in first-half stoppage time of the first half when Fred Rodrigues Santos scored Fenerbahçe’s first goal of the night with a left-footed strike.

The Yellow Canaries dominated possession but were unable to convert their chances, and 12 minutes into the second half Koita stole the ball and began a spectacular run through the middle of the pitch to get in front of Dominik Livaković, equalising the result. With 80 minutes gone, Kahveci popped up in the box to put Fener ahead, but the game was about to get even tougher for İsmail Kartal‘s side.

With four minutes of normal time remaining, Rey Manaj, standing alone in front of Livaković, fell to the ground and Sivasspor immediately claimed a penalty. Judging by the images it would be difficult to judge whether the Fenerbahçe goalkeeper actually committed a foul, or whether Manaj saw a clear chance to throw himself to the ground; but the VAR awarded the penalty – which the Albanian striker himself converted – and the home side got the equaliser. With time added on, Fener kept trying and seven minutes into extra time Serdar Dursun scored a goal that was immediately disallowed for offside.

A tense match with no less than 15 minutes of added time by the referee and in which the Fenerbahçe players left the match crestfallen, knowing what was at stake, and what they had lost: 3 very valuable points which, after the draw, leave Fenerbahçe 4 points behind leaders Galatasaray, with only 5 games to go in the league. It is not the end, but things are certainly getting more complicated for the Yellow Canaries and, with Galatasaray seemingly infallible, the coveted title of Super League champions seems further away than ever.

Results of the 33rd round of the Super League

BEŞİKTAŞ A.Ş. 2 – 0 MKE ANKARAGÜCÜ

İSTANBULSPOR A.Ş. 1 – 2 VAVACARS FATİH KARAGÜMRÜK

TÜMOSAN KONYASPOR 0 – 2 CORENDON ALANYASPOR

YILPORT SAMSUNSPOR 1 – 1 YUKATEL ADANA DEMİRSPOR A.Ş.

MONDİHOME KAYSERİSPOR 1 – 2 TRABZONSPOR A.Ş.

RAMS BAŞAKŞEHİR FUTBOL KULÜBÜ 2 – 0 ÇAYKUR RİZESPOR A.Ş.

BITEXEN ANTALYASPOR 2 – 1 ATAKAŞ HATAYSPOR

GALATASARAY A.Ş. 4 – 1 SİLTAŞ YAPI PENDİKSPOR FUTBOL A.Ş.

GAZİANTEP FUTBOL KULÜBÜ A.Ş. 2 – 0 KASIMPAŞA A.Ş.

EMS YAPI SİVASSPOR 2 – 2 FENERBAHÇE A.Ş.

Turkish league: standings

	GP	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
1.GALATASARAY A.Ş.	33	29	3	1	77	21	56	90
2.FENERBAHÇE A.Ş.	33	27	5	1	87	30	57	86
3.TRABZONSPOR A.Ş.	33	17	4	12	56	43	13	55
4.BEŞİKTAŞ A.Ş.	33	15	6	12	44	38	6	51
5.RAMS BAŞAKŞEHİR FUTBOL KULÜBÜ	33	14	7	12	44	38	6	49
6.ÇAYKUR RİZESPOR A.Ş.	33	14	6	13	43	49	-6	48
7.KASIMPAŞA A.Ş.	33	13	7	13	55	59	-4	46
8.BITEXEN ANTALYASPOR	33	11	12	10	38	38	0	45
9.CORENDON ALANYASPOR	33	11	12	10	43	46	-3	45
10.EMS YAPI SİVASSPOR	33	11	12	10	40	45	-5	45
11.YUKATEL ADANA DEMİRSPOR A.Ş.	33	9	14	10	49	44	5	41
12.YILPORT SAMSUNSPOR	33	10	9	14	37	43	-6	39
13.MKE ANKARAGÜCÜ	33	8	13	12	40	43	-3	37
14.MONDİHOME KAYSERİSPOR	33	10	10	13	37	47	-10	37
15.TÜMOSAN KONYASPOR	33	8	12	13	34	47	-13	36
16.GAZİANTEP FUTBOL KULÜBÜ A.Ş.	33	9	7	17	37	50	-13	34
17.VAVACARS FATİH KARAGÜMRÜK	33	8	9	16	37	42	-5	33
18.ATAKAŞ HATAYSPOR	33	7	12	14	37	46	-9	33
19.SİLTAŞ YAPI PENDİKSPOR FUTBOL A.Ş.	33	7	9	17	37	68	-31	30
20.İSTANBULSPOR A.Ş.	33	4	7	22	26	61	-35	16

VOTE

Hispanatolia

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🧿 About us

Edited and reviewed by:

✅ Pablo Gómez

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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