Fatih Karagümrük Edge Past Antalyaspor to Ease Relegation Fears

Early Serginho strike proves enough as hosts claim vital three points in Istanbul

Fatih Karagümrük secured their first victory in six matches with a narrow 1-0 triumph over Antalyaspor at the Atatürk Olimpiyat Stadı, lifting themselves off the foot of the Süper Lig table in the process.

Serginho’s fifth-minute opener proved decisive in a match where the hosts’ clinical edge compensated for their visitors’ superior possession. The Brazilian forward capitalised on an early opportunity to give Karagümrük the perfect start, and it would prove enough despite Antalyaspor controlling 58% of the ball.

The statistics paint a picture of a home side playing with the desperation their league position demanded. Karagümrük registered 15 shots to Antalyaspor’s eight, with an impressive 13 attempts coming from inside the penalty area. Their expected goals figure of 2.24 compared to the visitors’ meagre 0.37 suggested this could have been a more comfortable victory.

Antalyaspor’s superiority in possession and pass completion (83% versus 75%) counted for little as they struggled to create meaningful chances. Their four shots on target paled in comparison to Karagümrük’s more direct approach, which yielded four efforts that tested the goalkeeper.

The match grew increasingly fractious as Antalyaspor searched for an equaliser, with the visitors collecting four yellow cards to their hosts’ two. Both managers made extensive use of their benches, with a total of eight substitutions reflecting the intensity and importance of the encounter.

For Karagümrük, this result represents a crucial step away from automatic relegation, moving them level on points with 17th-placed opposition. Their pre-match losing streak of five games had left them adrift, but this performance suggests they possess the fight required for survival.

Antalyaspor, meanwhile, remain five points clear of the drop zone but will rue their inability to convert territorial dominance into goals against opponents they were tipped to beat comfortably.