Galatasaray fought hard to claim a 2–1 victory over Fethiyespor in the Turkish Cup, overcoming a stubborn lower-league challenge to keep their group campaign on track.
The visitors dominated possession in the opening half but found clear chances hard to come by. Without their star striker Victor Osimhen — away with Nigeria at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations and preparing for a heavyweight semi-final clash against Morocco tomorrow — Galatasaray lacked a cutting edge early on, allowing Fethiyespor to grow in confidence.
After a goalless first period, the game opened up following the restart. Galatasaray eventually made their pressure count in the 73rd minute when Abdülkerim Bardakcı rose highest to head home from a set-piece, breaking the resistance of the hosts. The goal shifted the momentum, and seven minutes later Barış Alper Yılmaz doubled the advantage with a composed finish to put daylight between the sides.
During the game, Galatasary via its official X handle shared Abdülkerim Bardakcı goal highlight as the lions double their lead. They posted:
Fethiyespor refused to fold and were rewarded late on when Uğur Ayhan pulled a goal back, setting up a nervy finale. However, Galatasaray managed the closing stages with enough control to see out the win.
The result comes after a difficult period for the Istanbul giants, who lost the Super Cup final to fierce rivals Fenerbahçe last weekend. Softfootball had predicted a comfortable 3–1 victory for Galatasaray heading into the tie, but the reality proved far more competitive than expected.
Despite being shorn of Osimhen, whose focus now turns to a major AFCON semi-final with Nigeria’s Super Eagles — Galatasaray showed enough resilience and depth to progress, even if the performance highlighted areas still in need of sharpening as their cup journey continues.
