Fenerbahçe initially struggled against the bottom-placed team, to create meaningful chances, but a red card for Adana Demirspor eventually shifted the momentum in favour of the Canaries in a 4-0 victory.
With a numerical advantage, the strike duo of En-Nesyri and Dzeko quickly sealed the outcome.
As expected, substitute goalkeeper Eğribayat replaced the injured Livaković, who is set to miss the coming weeks.
However, it was surprising to see Mercan in the starting lineup as a left center-back, a choice made by coach Mourinho despite Söyüncü being available.
Fenerbahçe did not start well against the league’s last-placed team. In the opening 20 minutes, the Mourinho-led side appeared to underestimate Adana, creating few significant opportunities.
Their first real chance came in the 24th minute when En-Nesyri smashed the ball against the crossbar after a cross—a warning shot that barely lifted the Yellow-Navy Blues’ intensity.
While the second-placed team dominated possession and frequently pushed into the final third, the fact that the match remained goalless at halftime was a disappointing display for Fenerbahçe.
Two Goals Disallowed
At the start of the second half, Mourinho made two substitutions, bringing in Söyüncü and Osayi-Samuel for Djiku and Kostic.
Unlike the lackluster opening, Fenerbahçe started brightly and thought they had taken the lead in the 50th minute through En-Nesyri.
However, referee Halil Umut Meler disallowed the goal after a VAR review, citing a foul by Kahveci during ball recovery.
This decision marked the beginning of a chaotic period in which officiating took center stage.
A few minutes later, Adana’s Barasi was sent off in the 56th minute for a studs-up challenge on Djiku, though the foul appeared more reckless than intentional—a tough but defensible decision by the referee.
Four Goals in the Final 20 Minutes
With the numerical advantage, Fenerbahçe dominated play, but even then, Kahveci’s 63rd-minute strike was ruled out.
Mourinho, visibly frustrated, received a yellow card for his vocal protests on the sidelines.
The breakthrough finally came in the 69th minute when En-Nesyri brilliantly volleyed a Tadić cross from the left into the net, giving the Canaries a 1-0 lead.
Adana, which had fought valiantly up to that point, quickly unraveled. Two minutes later, En-Nesyri scored again, once more assisted by Tadić.
Dzeko joined the party in the 74th minute, converting a pass from En-Nesyri to extend the lead further.
The final blow came in injury time when substitute Tosun found the net in the 91st minute, sealing a dominant 4-0 victory for Fenerbahçe.
