‘Intercontinental Derby’ ends in goalless draw

ISTANBUL

There were no goal celebrations in Turkish Süper Lig’s “Intercontinental Derby” between Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe on Sept. 27, with the two sides settling for one point each.

One ball did found the net after a shot by Galatasaray’s Algerian winger Sofiane Feghouli, but the goal was disallowed by the referee as Feghouli was caught offside.

The game played behind closed doors due to measures to stem the spread of the coronavirus saw referee Ali Palabıyık showing his yellow card a staggering 11 times; seven times to the home side’s players and five times to the Fenerbahçe squad, including one to coach Erol Bulut.

Galatasaray coach Fatih Terim said Palabıyık was “a bit generous” with the yellow cards.

“The derby much-awaited enthusiasm was not on the pitch tonight,” Terim, whose side had won its all four league and Europa League games this season until the match, told in a post-game press conference.

“The referee acted a bit generously in showing the yellow cards. We love yellow, but only in Galatasaray’s crest,” he said, referring to the red and yellow color that signifies the Istanbul club.

Terim said his side had a few chances to score despite the slow pace of the game but failed to capitalize on them.

Galatasaray has been unable to beat Fenerbahçe at home in the last six games played at Türk Telekom Stadium since the two goals by Dutch star Wesley Sneijder that brought a 2-1 win in 2014. The club has had five ties and one loss at home against its archrival since, with last season’s game also ending in a goalless draw.

Fenerbahçe coach Bulut noted that his side had seven new names in the starting 11.
“The new players did not have much trouble,” he said, adding that a national game break that will come after next weekend’s match against Karagümrük will help his newly established squad get better prepared.

While Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe shared the spoils, the third major Istanbul club, Beşiktaş, suffered a shock defeat in Süper Lig’s Week 3 at the hands of Konyaspor.
Konyaspor’s Georgian forward Levan Shengelia and Ukrainian forward Artem Kravets scored two goals each as the Central Anatolian club destroyed Beşiktaş 4-1 at home.

With one win in three weeks, Beşiktaş currently sits in the 11th spot of the league table.

Newcomer Karagümrük, which beat defending champion Başakşehir 2-0 on Sept. 25, tops the standings with seven points on goal difference.

Another newcomer, Hatayspor, also won in Week 3, beating Kasımpaşa 1-0 to increase its points tally to seven.

Alanyaspor’s winning streak ended at Rizespor in a 1-1 draw, and it sits in the second spot.

Elsewhere in the Süper Lig, Erzurumspor won 3-1 at Kayserispor, Göztepe was held to a 2-2 draw at home by Gaziantep, Trabzonspor beat Malatyaspor 3-1 and Sivasspor and Ankaragücü shared the spoils in the goalless stalemate.