Antalyaspor and Keçiörengücü played out a thriller in the opening round of the 1. Lig regular season on Saturday, with the visitors claiming a 4:3 victory at the stadium. The match finished with a dramatic penalty conversion in extra time that turned what looked like a home win into a points drop for the hosts. By then, the temperature had risen far beyond the ninety minutes of normal play.
Antalyaspor took control early, with R. Safuri firing in at the 41st minute before N. Storm doubled the advantage shortly after the break. Five minutes later, F. Ezeh pulled one back for Keçiörengücü, but Y. Boli restored the two-goal cushion at the 68th minute. The home side looked comfortable, though they had not yet seen the full extent of what was coming.
Then the wheels came off. Keçiörengücü struck twice in the space of two minutes — an unnamed goal at the 80th minute followed by M. Diouf's strike at the 82nd — to level the score. Antalyaspor's manager watched from the touchline as his side's lead evaporated, and the momentum shifted decisively. To be fair, the visitors had been creating chances throughout, even if the finish had been lacking.
The drama was not over. İ. Akdag stepped up for the penalty at 90+4 minutes and did not miss, sending Keçiörengücü into the lead for the first time in the match. Two yellow cards for Antalyaspor's Y. Boli and S. Dikmen in the closing moments did little to calm the situation. The incident went to review, and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.
Antalyaspor held 59 per cent possession and registered four shots on target, but only converted one of them into a goal before the comeback. Keçiörengücü managed just six shots on target against four, yet their efficiency in the final quarter proved decisive. The statistics tell one story; the result told another.
The victory moves Keçiörengücü to 11 points from six games, while Antalyaspor remain on six points after two defeats and four losses. The gap between them in the table has now widened to five points. What should have been a statement win for the hosts has become a match they need to forget quickly.