Gençlerbirliği's Unlikely Triumph: VAR Denies Başakşehir's Final Lifeline

Highly Entertaining Futmetrix Score: 69/100. In a match where possession meant nothing and clinical finishing everything, Gençlerbirliği snatched a 2-1 victory that could reshape their relegation battle.

Intensity Peaks: Four Goals and a Controversial Finale

Başakşehir controlled this match with 72% possession and 534 passes, yet found themselves undone by clinical finishing from their hosts. Thalisson Kelven opened the scoring at the 35-minute mark, assisted by T. Dele-Bashiru's incisive delivery. E. Shomurodov equalised immediately after the restart, but M. Niang's penalty conversion in the 53rd minute proved decisive. A combined 34 shots—10 on target—turned the pitch into a shooting gallery, yet it was clinical execution that won this six-pointer.

Balance Shattered: Three Lead Changes Define the Drama

The lead changed hands three times, embodying the upset factor that defined this encounter. Thirteen corners created constant set-piece pressure, but neither defence crumbled until the final whistle. Muhammed Şengezer's five saves kept Başakşehir's hopes alive, yet it was the 90th-minute VAR intervention that wrote the final chapter. Jerome Opoku's penalty was overturned, denying Başakşehir a potential lifeline and confirming Gençlerbirliği's unlikely win.

The Turning Point: VAR's Final Verdict

Franco Tongya's midfield orchestration gave Gençlerbirliği control despite their 28% possession share. Başakşehir's 88% pass accuracy proved sterile in the final third, where Gençlerbirliği's counter-attacking precision proved lethal. This victory lifts the hosts from 14th place, whilst Başakşehir's 12th-place standing faces fresh scrutiny after squandering dominance.