Fenerbahçe secured a critical 4-1 victory over Gaziantep FK at Kadıköy on Tuesday night, propelled by a dominant hat-trick from Dorgeles Nene. The comfortable win brings Fenerbahçe to 60 points in the Trendyol Süper Lig standings, providing crucial relief for the club following a string of recent domestic struggles and a disappointing European exit last month.
Speaking to the press after the final whistle, Fenerbahçe manager Domenico Tedesco acknowledged the heavy pressure surrounding the squad. “It was a tough two days for us,” Tedesco stated. “We needed to put character on the pitch to bring the team back to life.” The manager’s comments referenced the tension following the team dropping points in three of their previous four league fixtures, a slump that has heavily scrutinized the club’s trajectory in Turkish sports.
Dorgeles Nene anchored the offensive effort, opening the scoring in the 41st minute before adding two more goals in the 68th and 79th minutes to complete his hat-trick. Gaziantep briefly threatened to alter the match’s momentum when Alexandru Maxim converted a penalty in the 52nd minute to level the score. However, N’Golo Kante quickly restored the host’s advantage with a strike in the 59th minute, paving the way for Nene to seal the definitive 4-1 outcome.
Despite the decisive result, Tedesco confirmed several physical hurdles within the roster. The manager revealed that Nene played through lingering pain during his three-goal performance and noted a minor physical issue for Levent Mercan. Conversely, the match also marked the return of Talisca to the active matchday squad, providing a vital reinforcement as Fenerbahçe enters the upcoming international break ahead of a high-stakes derby against Beşiktaş.