Galatasaray left Ankara with a narrow but valuable 1-0 victory over Gençlerbirliği in Saturday’s Turkish Süper Lig match. The visitors struggled to turn their chances into goals for most of the night, but substitute Deniz Gül made the difference in the 88th minute.
The first half was tense and largely scoreless. Gençlerbirliği came close when Salih Uçan’s effort struck the crossbar, while Galatasaray threatened through Victor Osimhen and Leroy Sané. Both goalkeepers were called into action, and the teams went into the break level.
Okan Buruk reshaped his attack after half-time. Gül came on for Rafael Leão in the 77th minute and needed only 11 minutes to decide the game. He carried the ball into the box from the right and fired from a tight angle. The shot slipped past goalkeeper Irfan Can Eğribayat and crossed the line, giving the visitors a late lead.
Gençlerbirliği pushed for an equaliser, but Galatasaray held on through stoppage time. The win brought the Istanbul club to 19 points from eight matches and kept them at the top of the league table.
For Galatasaray, the result was another reminder that patience and impact from the bench can settle a tight away fixture. Gül’s late finish turned a frustrating evening into three important points.
Sources: Galatasaray official match report and Anadolu Agency.