Istanbul Derby Ends in Chaos as Galatasaray Beat Fenerbahce 2-1 and Players Come to Blows

Galatasaray beat arch-rivals Fenerbahce 2-1 in the Week 9 Süper Lig derby on Monday evening, with Victor Osimhen scoring both goals before half-time. The result was overshadowed by wild scenes at the final whistle.

Tension from the first minute

The first flashpoint came just twelve seconds in, when Galatasaray’s Abdülkerim Bardakci and Fenerbahce striker Romelu Lukaku collided, leaving players from both sides pushing and jostling. Osimhen then took over, scoring in the 29th and 44th minutes to give the hosts a 2-0 lead. Irfan Can Kahveci pulled one back for Fenerbahce in the 62nd minute, but Galatasaray held on.

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Brawl after the whistle

After the final whistle, tempers boiled over on the pitch. More staff and substitutes joined the players, and stewards and police had to step in to separate them. Galatasaray’s Bardakci and Fenerbahce’s Archie Brown ended up in a wrestling match and were both shown red cards by referee Atilla Karaoglan. Fenerbahce’s Aktürkoglu and Galatasaray’s Sallai were involved in a separate scuffle, and each received a yellow.

Table and reaction

Galatasaray go top of the Süper Lig on 22 points, ahead of Amedspor (20) and Trabzonspor (19), while Fenerbahce stay fifth on 16. Galatasaray coach Okan Buruk called it possibly the easiest game of the season. Fenerbahce’s İsmail Kartal admitted a poor first half but said his side are not giving up on the title.

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What’s next

The Turkish FA’s disciplinary board (PFDK) has not yet announced any sanctions. Heavy bans have followed past derby brawls. In 2018, players and officials from both clubs were suspended for up to eight matches after a mass brawl at the end of a derby. The Intercontinental Derby has a long record of heated moments, and Monday’s was another.

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