Fenerbahçe’s title chase hit another speed bump on Sunday after a chaotic 3-3 draw with Kayserispor, dropping the Yellow Canaries five points behind league leaders Galatasaray with just six matches to play.
The drama unfolded at Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium, where Talha Sarıaslan’s stoppage-time strike silenced the crowd and sparked fury from the terraces, with fans chanting for President Ali Koç’s resignation in a night that ended in protests and unrest.
Blow for blow in Istanbul
Kayserispor drew first blood early in the 7th minute, as Ramazan Civelek pounced on a defensive lapse.
Fenerbahçe responded in the 36th through red-hot Anderson Talisca, who buried a rebound after Saint-Maximin’s cut-in and shot rattled the keeper.
Just minutes after the restart, Kayserispor retook the lead in bizarre fashion – Nazon’s header struck the post, rebounding off goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic and into his own net, marking his second own goal this season.
Allan Saint-Maximin leveled again in the 64th with a rocket from the edge of the box after keeper Bilal Bayezit mishit a clearance. It was his first league goal in 18 weeks – his last coming back in November against Sivasspor.
VAR drama in the 78th minute flipped the script. A handball on Gökhan Sazdağı was flagged after a review, gifting Fenerbahçe a lifeline. Talisca stepped up and converted from the spot to make it 3-2.
But with the win seemingly secured, Fenerbahçe collapsed in stoppage time. A lapse in concentration allowed Sarıaslan to fire home the equalizer in the 90+4th minute, triggering chaos in the stands.
Koç under fire, fans in revolt
As the final whistle blew, thousands of Fenerbahçe fans turned on their own, chanting “Ali Koç istifa” (“Ali Koç resign”) and booing the post-match music. Chants of “We won’t leave!” echoed in the stands as some supporters demanded accountability.
A small group even breached the press section, confronting journalists. Amid the tension, one fan reportedly fainted and was aided by fellow supporters.
Talisca on a tear
Despite the turmoil, Talisca’s scoring spree continued. The Brazilian has now scored in four consecutive Süper Lig matches, netting seven goals during that stretch.
Since joining midseason, he’s notched 11 goals across all competitions – eight in the league and three in the Turkish Cup.
Livakovic’s deja vu
The Croatian keeper’s own goal mirrored a nightmare from earlier this season. In the derby against Galatasaray, a Torreira shot struck the post and bounced off Livakovic’s back into the net. History repeated itself Sunday in painful fashion.