Başakşehir ended their winless streak in the UEFA Conference League with a vital 3-1 victory over Germany’s Heidenheim on Thursday
This win made them the only Turkish team to secure maximum points in Europe, as Galatasaray, Beşiktaş and Fenerbahçe all faltered at critical moments.
The Istanbul side took early control, with Deniz Türüç finding the net in the 6th minute.
Miguel Crespo doubled the lead in the 18th minute, capitalizing on a rebound after Krzysztof Piatek’s header was blocked by the goalkeeper.
Crespo’s goal marked his first in European competition this season, pushing Başakşehir to a commanding 2-0 lead.
Heidenheim responded in the second half with a 61st-minute strike by Honsak, narrowing the deficit.
However, Piatek restored Başakşehir’s two-goal advantage in the 68th minute, securing their first three points of the campaign.
The win lifted Başakşehir to five points in the group, keeping their knockout hopes alive ahead of their final group-stage clash against Belgium’s Cercle Brugge.
Persistent offense, vulnerable defense
Başakşehir’s attacking prowess has been consistent in Europe this season, scoring in all five matches.
However, defensive lapses have been a recurring theme, with the team conceding in every game.
Their campaign began with back-to-back defeats to Rapid Wien (2-1) and Celje (5-1) before earning draws against Copenhagen (2-2) and Petrocub (1-1).
With eight goals scored and 11 conceded, Başakşehir’s defensive resilience remains a concern.
Lions hold tight
Meanwhile, Galatasaray extended their unbeaten run in the UEFA Europa League, drawing 2-2 with Malmo.
Goals from Elias Jelert and Yunus Akgün kept the Turkish giants sixth in the League Phase with 12 points, as they remain undefeated after six matches.
Despite falling behind early in four consecutive matches, Galatasaray has shown remarkable resilience, avoiding defeat each time.
Their streak of 18 unbeaten matches across all competitions highlights their dominance this season.
Jelert celebrated his first goal for Galatasaray, while Akgün scored his fifth goal in six Europa League appearances, underscoring his importance in the team’s European campaign.
Galatasaray’s next challenge will be to maintain momentum as they prepare for the knockout stages of the competition.
Beşiktaş falter again
Beşiktaş’s woes keep piling up as they suffered a 2-1 defeat against Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League, significantly denting their chances of advancing.
The match saw Gedson Fernandes score for the Black Eagles, while Philip Zinckernagel and Luras Bjortuft found the net for the home team.
With two wins and four losses in the group stage, Beşiktaş remain at six points and concludes the week ranked 28th among 36 teams.
Meanwhile, Bodo/Glimt climbed to 13th place with 10 points.
Marksman Fernandes
Portuguese midfielder Gedson Fernandes has been a key scorer for Beşiktaş this season, netting five of his eight goals in European competitions.
In the Europa League, he scored against both Olympique Lyon and Bodo/Glimt, showcasing his importance in the team’s continental efforts.
Fernandes also played a pivotal role in the UEFA Europa League qualifiers, scoring three goals in the playoff matches against Lugano, which secured Beşiktaş’s spot in the group stage.
Domestically, he has contributed with goals against Sivasspor, Trabzonspor and Kayserispor in the Süper Lig.
Ersin Destanoğlu’s costly error
The match was marred by a mistake from Beşiktaş goalkeeper Ersin Destanoğlu, who was preferred over Mert Günok by interim coach Serdar Topraktepe.
In the 37th minute, Destanoğlu’s mishandled throw landed with Bodo/Glimt’s Fredrik Bjorkan, whose pass set up Zinckernagel for the opening goal.
Fenerbahçe fall short at home
Fenerbahçe experienced their first home defeat in European competitions this season, losing 2-0 to Spanish side Athletic Bilbao.
The match saw Fenerbahçe concede early in the fifth minute after a mistake by Samet Akaydin allowed Inaki Williams to score.
Despite a strong second-half effort, Fenerbahçe failed to register a shot on target in the first half, and Williams doubled Bilbao’s lead with a goal just before halftime in the 45th minute.
The second half saw Fenerbahçe attempt to break through, with their first shot on target coming in the 68th minute.
However, Mert Müldür was sent off with a second yellow card just a minute later.
The 2-0 defeat left Fenerbahçe with 8 points after six matches, marking their second loss in the group stage.
This was also their first home defeat in Europe, following four previous home wins in both the UEFA Champions League qualifiers and UEFA Europa League.
Calls for Koç’s resignation
Fenerbahçe supporters voiced their displeasure during the match, calling for club president Ali Koç to resign.
The chants for Koç’s resignation grew louder following Mert Müldür’s red card.
Fans also expressed their support for former president Aziz Yıldırım, with chants echoing through the stands. The calls for resignation continued after the final whistle.
Fenerbahçe failed to register a goal for the first time this season in a European match.
The Yellow Canaries had scored in all of their previous nine UEFA Champions League and Europa League matches, finding the back of the net 15 times.
The lackluster display against Athletic Bilbao marked a rare failure to score for Fenerbahçe, who also played a 0-0 draw in the Süper Lig against Beşiktaş earlier this weekend.