Four goals from two Ankaragücü players determined the outcome of this Friday night game between league leaders Beşiktaş and Ankaragücü, who currently sit in the lower half of the Süper Lig table.
Beşiktaş, without their star strikers Vincent Aboubakar and Cenk Tosun, who are both out through injury, dominated possession but failed to find the back of the net.
Ankaragücü, however, had no such problem, with Croatian defender Ante Kulušić scoring two own goals either side of half time to put hosts Beşiktaş 2-0 up.
The first was a Kulušić header from a cross from winger Rachid Ghezzal, leaving the goalkeeper Korcan Çelikay no chance.
In the 52nd minute, Kulušić struck again with another header, this time from a cross by Beşiktaş right-back Valentin Rosier.
Kulušić’s defensive mistakes were countered by a brace from Joseph Paintsil (pictured above). The Ghanaian midfielder scored in the 65th minute and again in extra time at the end of the second half, both goals coming from the penalty spot.
The result means Beşiktaş remain perched at the top of the table on 71 points, five points ahead of second place side Fenerbahçe who are on 66, with both having played 33 games. Third place Galatasaray are on 62 points with a game in hand.
With Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray chasing hard, and just seven games left this season, Beşiktaş will need to ensure they don’t drop many more points if they are to clinch their sixteenth league title, and their first since 2017.
For Ankaragücü, they came away from this memorable game with a valuable away point. They currently languish in 14th place in a league, this season, of 21 teams, and on 37 points – just four points clear of the relegation zone.
Stranger things have happened
Ankaragücü scoring all four goals in one game by any stretch is bizarre, but by no means unique. English centre back Chris Nicholl once scored all four goals in a 2-2 draw.
Playing for Leicester against his former club Aston Villa in 1976, Nicholl twice put Leicester in front, and twice he equalised for Villa.
Nicholl’s goal spree meant he ended the season as The Foxes’ fifth leading goal scorer!
The Northern Ireland international later reportedly said that his third goal in the Leicester-Villa game – an unstoppable diving header own goal – was the finest goal he ever scored in his career.
Main image, top, of Joseph Paintsil scoring for Ankaragücü from the penalty spot. Photo © Twitter / MKE Ankaragücü
