Fenerbahçe managed to beat Gaziantep with some difficulty on Monday evening: 3-1. By far the most remarkable moment of the game was the tying goal conceded by Fenerbahçe. Goalkeeper Altay Bayindir drew the ball clumsily over his own goal line after a save, almost identical to how Jeroen Zoet did that in 2017 at the top match between Feyenoord and PSV. Fenerbahçe remains in second place, four points behind Besiktas, which has one more match credit.
Early in the first half, Fenerbahçe’s Hakan Mert Yandas saw a bet taken off the line by Papy Djilobodji, before Enner Valencia messed up the rebound up close. Moments later, from a corner kick, Serdar Aziz aimed over from the volley from very close range. In the final phase of the first half, a ticker from Nouha Dicko on the other side was rejected due to a slight push from Djilobodji on Attila Szalai. A few minutes later, Gaziantep striker Kenan Özer aimed wide after a long dribble by Dicko.
Eleven minutes after the break, Fenerbahçe took the lead. Yandas was released on the left side of the penalty area by Ozan Tufan and curled the ball into the far corner with the right: 1-0. Ten minutes later, Gaziantep came back when a low free kick by Alexandru Maxim flew under Fenerbahçe’s wall. Goalkeeper Bayindir initially saved the ball, but then clumsily pulled it over the line. The VAR ruled that it was a valid goal: 1-1.
– vidfooty (@ vidfooty1) April 12, 2021
Fenerbahçe sought the attack and was rewarded for it five minutes later. A cross from the left by Caner Erkin was headed through by Dimitrios Pelkas and tapped in at the far post by Valencia: 2-1. Gaziantep then increased the pressure and had a double chance. Özer aimed right at Bayindir from close range, while Dicko shot the rebound over. An even greater opportunity was there for Kevin Mirallas, who aimed for an open goal over the intersection. Deep in injury time, the game was decided by Sinan Gümüs, who took the short corner by surprise in a quick counter: 3-1.