Fenerbahçe secured their place in the semifinals of the Ziraat Turkish Cup after defeating Kayserispor 4-1 at home on Wednesday.
The Yellow Canaries took the lead in the eighth minute of the match thanks to a goal from Emre Mor but just 10 minutes later Dimitrios Kolovetsios gave Kayserispor a much-needed equalizer.
However, the stalemate was short-lived as Fenerbahçe managed to regain their lead just before halftime with another Emre Mor strike in the 42nd minute.
Serdar Dursun scored Fenerbahçe's third goal of the match in the 59th minute.
The striker had not scored for over 100 days, and the goal was met with cheers from the home fans.
However, the substitution of Arao and Irfan Can Kahveci led to protests from the fans.
The Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus called on the fans not to protest by opening their hands. However, the fans continued to boo Arao every time he got the ball at his feet. The substitution of Valencia was also met with protests, and Jesus supported the player by kissing him on the forehead as he left the game.
Speaking after the match, Fenerbahçe coach Jorge Jesus expressed his satisfaction with the team's performance.
"We played well today and deserved to win. We scored four goals and could have scored more. We have reached the semifinals, and now we need to focus on our next match against Sivasspor," he said.
Arda Güler, who garnered the ardent support of the fans through a vociferous chanting of his name during the match, was welcomed with resounding applause as he made his entrance in the 78th minute, replacing Valencia.
On the other hand, Valencia, who had been substituted, was met with disapproval through a series of "hook" sounds.
Güler eventually managed to net Fenerbahçe's fourth goal of the match in the 90th minute, much to the euphoria of the home fans.
After the match, the Fenerbahçe fans continued their protest, calling for the resignation of the club's management.
Speaking to the press, one fan said, "We are not happy with the way the club is being run. We want change, and we want it now."
However, the club's pre-match ceremony had a different focus. The match was played in support of children affected by the Feb. 6 twin earthquakes, which affected many cities.
Fenerbahçe hosted Jale Sinem Siler and Aysim Siler living in Hatay-Iskenderun, one of the provinces affected by the earthquake, and Yiğit Efe Bektaş, the little fan who hugged young football player Arda Güler and gave emotional images during the Ümraniyespor match.
In a statement made by the club, it was stated, "We wish to give them a little hope in this step, where we aim to make our children feel that they are very important to us in the simplest way. We will heal our wounds together."
Fenerbahçe's victory over Kayserispor was an important step toward their goal of winning the Ziraat Turkish Cup which seems to be the only silverware the Yellow Canaries can grab.
However, the protests from the fans highlight the ongoing tensions within the club, and it remains to be seen how these will be resolved.
