“Aziz Yıldırım Got the Team Fired Up”
Fenerbahçe strengthened its challenge near the top of the Süper Lig with a convincing 3-0 win over Alanyaspor in Week 8. Lukaku, Kerem Aktürkoğlu and Vedat Muriqi scored in Kadıköy, giving the home side three valuable points. The result also offered a lift after a disappointing European performance, though several commentators warned that the scoreline did not erase the team’s remaining problems.
Writers focusing on the match highlighted Fenerbahçe’s strong first-half pressure and the influence of N’Golo Kanté, while also questioning the side’s defensive risks, physical condition and ability to create chances against a well-organised opponent.
Uğur Meleke noted that Fenerbahçe dominated the opening 45 minutes. The hosts recorded 29 touches in the opposition penalty area to Alanyaspor’s three and led 15-2 in shots. For Meleke, the left-flank partnership between Oğuz Aydın and Levent was especially important. He praised Oğuz for contributing both directly and by helping the full-back behind him perform better, adding that the winger could be one of Fenerbahçe’s key players against Slavia Prague.
Ömer Üründül welcomed the three points but argued that Fenerbahçe still faced difficult tests with concerns over its tactics and fitness. Alanyaspor created two clear chances after the break, while goalkeeper Ederson made two important saves. Üründül identified Kanté as the team’s most serious performer and said Guendouzi showed more determination than in recent weeks. Lukaku scored but, in his view, was not yet at full physical sharpness. He also criticised Greenwood’s post-international-break form, despite the forward’s creative potential.
Tayfun Bayındır likewise singled out Kanté, describing him as the crucial presence in midfield. His positioning and reading of the game helped cover the space behind Fenerbahçe’s high defensive line, and his partnership with Guendouzi again looked effective. Bayındır said the team still needed more creativity to break down settled defences, particularly from Asensio. He also pointed to Lukaku’s developing understanding with his teammates and Kerem’s goal as a confidence boost. Ederson’s three key interventions, he added, underlined the goalkeeper’s importance. Bayındır cautioned that playing with such an advanced back line can carry a heavy cost if opponents exploit the space behind it.
Engin Verel saw a team whose mood and organisation remained unsettled. He compared the body language of Greenwood and coach İsmail Kartal, describing both as unhappy, and said the lack of discipline and adherence to a clear system affected the whole side. Against an Alanyaspor team that appeared focused on protecting a draw, Fenerbahçe created opportunities but lacked concentration in decisive moments. Kerem’s second-half goal eased some of the pressure, and Verel suggested the win could mark the beginning of a recovery-while warning that one victory alone would not solve the club’s wider issues.
Kemal Belgin described Alanyaspor as a relatively modest opponent and said the 3-0 result may have helped supporters and club officials move on from the painful European defeat. He also noted that Fenerbahçe moved closer to Galatasaray in the standings and would be watching the outcome of the Trabzonspor-Beşiktaş match. Belgin credited the pre-match visit from club president Aziz Yıldırım to the Samandıra training ground with helping energise the squad. He added that VAR was right to disallow two Fenerbahçe goals and named Kanté as the player of the match.
The win gives Fenerbahçe a useful boost ahead of a demanding run of fixtures, including the match against Slavia Prague and an away meeting with Galatasaray. The team’s attacking pressure, especially before half-time, offers encouragement, but the second-half chances conceded to Alanyaspor show why the result should not be mistaken for a complete solution.
Fenerbahçe will need to turn its territorial advantage into more consistent control. A high defensive line can support aggressive pressing, but it also requires midfielders to close passing lanes quickly and defenders to remain coordinated. Kanté’s ability to read danger and cover space was one of the reasons the approach held up for much of the match.
There are also signs that individual confidence could shape the team’s progress. Kerem’s goal may help him play with greater freedom, while Lukaku will need time and match fitness to build a stronger connection with the players around him. Greenwood’s form remains another question, given the expectations attached to his attacking role.
The scoreline was clear, but the post-match assessments were not uniformly celebratory. Fenerbahçe showed enough quality to dominate and take all three points, yet the upcoming European and league fixtures will provide a more demanding test of its fitness, defensive balance and consistency.
Separately, the supplied report also included details of a murder investigation in Samsun. Arif Yılmaz, 50, was killed there 13 years ago. Investigators said suspect Murat Atasoy had later threatened people with the phrase, “You’ll end up like Arif,” during disputes in the neighbourhood. Atasoy and another suspect, Turan Zengin, were arrested and remanded in custody.