Galatasaray made to sweat until the end

The first top-flight meeting between these two clubs in the Süper Lig started at a sprint. In the 7th minute, Lucas Torreira won a ball cleared by the Amed defence and slid it to Rafael Leão, running down the left. The Portugal winger opened the scoring with a shot from close to the penalty spot.

Amed did not simply sit back and take it. Dia Saba forced Uğurcan Çakır into a save for a corner, Mbaye Diagne headed over, and Ermal Krasniqi, played in behind the defence by Saba, found the side netting. Just before the break, Galatasaray doubled their lead with a slice of luck: set up by Yunus Akgün from a tight angle, Batrakov shot, and Alban Lafont, trying to push it away, diverted it into his own net.

Leão did not last long after the interval. Hurt, he made way for Deniz Gül in the 50th minute. In the 59th, Batrakov struck from the edge of the box after a lay-off from Roland Sallai, and the ball, deflected by David Robert Bates, beat Lafont. 3-0, and the game looked done.

It turned in three minutes. Saba curled a free kick that hit the post despite Çakır getting a hand to it (62nd), then Orban headed in a cross from Furkan Soyalp on the left (65th). Barış Alper Yılmaz gave the table-toppers some breathing space in the 80th, also with a header, from a Gabriel Sara cross. Sara then hit the post. In added time, Krasniqi headed back for Rayan Lutin, whose blocked shot fell to Sor, who made it 4-3 and set the final score.

Galatasaray had more of the ball, 56% to 44, and had more shots, 17 to 14. But the two sides had almost as many on target, six for one and five for the other, and the expected-goals figures are close: 1.47 for the Istanbul side, 1.27 for Amed. Seven goals from fewer than three expected goals in total: this was a match in which every shot counted double.

The promoted side even won twice as many corners, six to three. They were also flagged offside eight times, against three for the hosts, and picked up all three yellow cards of the match. The goalkeepers were not overly busy: two saves for Çakır, three for Lafont.

Two Galatasaray goals bear the mark of an Amed defender or goalkeeper: Lafont's failed save before the break and Bates's deflection of Batrakov's shot. The league leaders' last two goals, meanwhile, came from crosses, Torreira's for Leão on the ground, Sara's for Barış Alper Yılmaz's header. At the other end, Amed scored from a set piece, from a cross and from a second ball in the box.

SNA analysis: Galatasaray won with a reshuffled side. Without their striker Victor Osimhen and defender Abdülkerim Bardakcı, Okan Buruk moved full-back Ismail Jakobs into the centre and played Barış Alper Yılmaz up front. The latter scored and won 8 of 12 duels. The back line still conceded three goals to opponents who managed only five shots on target.

Amed are anything but extras. Promoted from the second tier at the end of the 2025-2026 season, the Diyarbakır club matched the league leaders on the numbers and had them rattled until the final whistle. What they lacked above all was a more efficient first half: Saba, Diagne and Krasniqi all had chances before the scoreline ran away.

Amed made two changes at the break: Ali Turap Bülbül for Gökhan Gül, and Sor for Diagne. The Nigerian eventually scored. For Istanbul, Sara and Leroy Sané came on during the second half and combined for the 4-2, Sané setting up Sara, Sara finding Barış Alper Yılmaz. Lutin, on in the 77th minute, touched the ball before Sor's goal.

Nigerian Gift Orban scored the 3-2 with a header and won 5 of 11 duels (SNA rating: 7.5), despite a yellow card and four fouls. According to the scorers' count, he moved alone to the top of the scoring chart on the very night his compatriot Osimhen, who has had knee surgery, was missing for Galatasaray. Introduced at the break, Nigeria international Sor scored the last goal (SNA rating: 8). Malagasy Rayan Raveloson was Amed's busiest midfielder, with 9 of 12 duels won and four successful dribbles, despite a booking in the 50th minute.

It was a harder night for Ivorian Alban Lafont, who scored the own goal and was beaten four times (SNA rating: 5). Senegalese Mbaye Diagne played only one half, without a shot on target. At Galatasaray, his compatriot Jakobs held the centre for 90 minutes, and Gabonese Mario Lemina put in plenty of work, with three tackles and two interceptions. Ivorian Wilfried Singo, Bissau-Guinean Renato Nhaga and Comorian Lutin came on late in the game.

A goal, the shot that led to the 2-0 and two chances created in 83 minutes. The Russian midfielder also set up Leão for the first chance of the match, and his free kick gave Deniz Gül a header. He was involved in two of his side's four goals. SNA rating: 8.5.

Galatasaray stay top with 28 points, five more than Amed, who remain second with 23 points. Trabzonspor, third with 22 points, have a game in hand. After the international break, Galatasaray host Samsunspor, and Amed welcome Rizespor.