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Galatasaray dropped two points in the Trendyol Super Lig title race after being held to a 1-1 draw by Kocaelispor at RAMS Park, allowing closest rival Fenerbahce to cut the gap to two points.
The Istanbul side came into Week 29 on top of the table and looked set to see the game out after Leroy Sane put them ahead in the first half. However, Kocaelispor grew into the match after the break and drew level through Bruno Petkovic, leaving the league leaders with a costly home draw.
Galatasaray spent much of the opening half on the ball and pushed play into the opposition half, but Kocaelispor, a side from the northwestern province of Kocaeli, stayed compact and defended with numbers behind the ball. While the visitors tried to break forward in transition, they struggled to create clear openings.
The home side also found it hard to break through a crowded back line, yet eventually made the pressure count in the 30th minute. Ismail Jakobs carried the ball down the flank and set up Sane, who finished to put Galatasaray 1-0 up before halftime.
The balance of the game shifted in the second half as Kocaelispor settled down and began to play in a more organized way. Their improved shape paid off in the 72nd minute when Petkovic found the net to make it 1-1.
Galatasaray coach Okan Buruk responded with attacking changes, but the hosts could not build enough momentum or carve out the chances they needed to restore the lead. As a result, the match finished level and handed the leaders a damaging setback in the race for the title.
With the draw, Galatasaray moved to 68 points and remained in first place, but the result gave Fenerbahce fresh hope. After winning their match earlier in the week, Fenerbahce reduced the gap to two points.
Trabzonspor, which had also drawn earlier in the round, stayed four points behind Galatasaray. Even so, the main pressure now comes from Fenerbahce as the title chase continues to tighten.
Sane's goal marked his seventh in the league this season. The German winger, who joined before the campaign, once again stepped up for Galatasaray, though his contribution was not enough to carry the team over the line.
The draw also brought an end to Galatasaray's four-match home winning run in league play. Even so, the Istanbul club extended its unbeaten home streak in the Super Lig to 33 matches, a run stretching back to its last home defeat against Fenerbahce on May 19, 2024.
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