Wednesday, March 3, 2021 at 7:11 PM• Daniel Cabot Kerkdijk • Last update: 19:25

Galatasaray’s winning streak in the Süper Lig has come to an end. On Wednesday evening, Fatih Terim’s team suffered a 2-1 defeat at bottom of the league Ankaragücü, which meant the first misstep after eight victories in a row. Because of the defeat, Fenerbahçe can get as many points on Thursday with a win at Antalyaspor and Besiktas, which now has as many points as CimBom only take the lead when the fifth victory in a row is booked in the home game with Gaziantep.

The first half seemed to end scoreless, but on the stroke of half time the ball hit the spot. After a cross from the right, Arda Turan made a foul on Endri Cekici and the ball also went against his hand. Referee Halil Umut Meler pointed to the spot, after which Ibrahim Akdag fired the ball into the left corner: 1-0.

After the break, the problems piled up for Galatasaray, who got the 2-0 in the 55th minute. Saba Lobjanidze played Marcao on the left side of the penalty area and then worked the leather nicely over goalkeeper Fernando Muslera. Two minutes later, Terim’s team was also on the field with ten men. Mostafa Mohamed, the man who scored six goals in his first six league matches, consciously or unintentionally put his elbow against Akdag’s chin in a duel for the ball and was immediately allowed to push in. Umut Meler was busy anyway: he handed out yellow ten times.

Radamel Falcao, who came in for Arda at half-time, claimed a penalty a few minutes later after a push from Ante Kulusic, but Umut Meler refused to accept that. Galatasaray’s connection goal, in the 92nd minute via Kerem Aktürkoglu, came much too late. Ryan Donk, together with Marcao, formed the center of the defense; Ryan Babel only participated in the last seven minutes as a replacement for Gedson Fernandes.