Galatasaray Defeats Fenerbahce 2-1 in Istanbul Derby Amid Mass Brawls
Galatasaray defeated Fenerbahce 2-1 in a fiery Istanbul derby featuring early brawls, a Victor Osimhen brace, and post-match red cards to reclaim the league summit.
Galatasaray secured a 2-1 victory over Fenerbahce in a fiery Istanbul derby marked by chaotic brawls both at kickoff and after the final whistle. Just 12 seconds into the match, an intense clash erupted between Romelu Lukaku and Abdulkerim Bardakci following a dispute over a long ball, with the Belgian striker allegedly hurling insults in both English and Turkish.
Despite the early turmoil, Victor Osimhen stole the spotlight for Galatasaray by netting a decisive brace in the 29th and 44th minutes to establish a 2-0 lead. Fenerbahce responded in the 63rd minute when Irfan Can Kahveci scored a spectacular bicycle kick to narrow the deficit to 2-1, though the visitors ultimately fell short of completing a comeback.
Post-Match Chaos and Red Cards
Tensions boiled over immediately after the final whistle as another mass confrontation broke out between Roland Sallai and Kerem Akturkoglu, alongside a separate altercation involving Bardakci and Archie Brown. Security forces rushed onto the pitch to restore order during a five-minute melee.
Following the fracas, Bardakci and Brown were shown red cards, while Sallai and Akturkoglu received yellow cards. According to local media reports, Fenerbahce players were escorted back to the dressing room while Galatasaray players remained on the pitch.
With this hard-fought win, Galatasaray reclaimed the top spot in the Turkish Super Lig, holding a two-point advantage over Amedspor and extending their lead over fifth-placed Fenerbahce to six points.
