The legendary Italian maestro Andrea Pirlo's Fatih Karagümrük savored a sweet 4-3 victory against Sivasspor on Saturday, which increased their league points to 29 and kept their unbeaten streak alive at eight games – matching the club's record.
Despite falling behind 1-0 in the match played at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium, Fatih Karagümrük staged a remarkable comeback, emerging victorious with a thrilling 4-3 scoreline, thus securing six points in their last two games.
Having suffered a 2-1 league defeat to Adana Demirspor on Dec. 25, 2022, the Red-Black team bounced back in style, remaining undefeated in seven matches in 2023.
Andrea Pirlo's team, who have enjoyed a remarkable streak of dominance over Trabzonspor, Kayserispor, Ankaragücü and Demir Grup Sivasspor, also managed to hold Konyaspor, Kasımpaşa, Alanyaspor and Beşiktaş to impenetrable deadlocks.
Coach Bülent Eken held the previous club's unbeaten record during the 1959-1960 Süper Lig season.
During the run, Eken enjoyed an impressive eight-game streak in the league, boasting an undefeated record of six wins and two draws.
They emerged victorious in eight matches against the likes of Altınordu, Göztepe, Galatasaray, Beykoz, Ankaragücü, and Turanspor, while they were held to a draw by Istanbulspor and Fenerbahçe.
Though Andrea Pirlo had managed a decent run, his team still experienced difficulty in their last few matches, conceding goals in the dying minutes.
Fatih Karagümrük have been excelling in attack, amassing one of the league's highest goals scored with 47, yet their backline has been struggling to keep out goals, conceding a total of 43.
Of the 43 goals they have conceded, one has been in the 90th minute, with a further six being shipped in extra time.
Fatih Karagümrük lost five crucial points this season due to the goals they conceded in the extra time.
For instance, during the heart-wrenching 5-4 away loss at Fenerbahçe, Fatih Karagümrük allowed Michy Batshuayi to send home a stunning winner on the last gasp 90+5 minute mark.
In the 18th week of the league, the 3-3 draw against Konyaspor saw them again concede a late, dramatic Diouf equalizer in the 90+5 minute – a heartbreaking moment that cost them two vital points.
The same happened in the 19th-week game away against Kasımpaşa, when Fatih Karagümrük appeared to be on their way to a hard-fought victory after taking a 2-1 lead; however, Bahoken's stunning equalizer in the dying seconds of injury-time cost them two precious points.
Fatih Karagümrük narrowly scraped out a 4-3 win against Sivasspor despite their unfortunate tendency to concede goals in extra time.
At 4-1 with only minutes remaining in regulation, the Red-Black team conceded two goals rapidly at the end of the 90+1 and 90+6 minutes.
However, they were able to secure the win in the dying moments and survive the scare.
The formidable Diagne-Borini duo have become the most notable names of Fatih Karagümrük this season, making headlines across the board.
Diagne, who netted a sensational hat-trick against Sivasspor, elevated the goal tally in the league to 14.
Borini, with an impressive 13 goals to his name, also grabbed the limelight as the provider of the assist for Diagne's opening goal.
Two players, with a combined tally of 27 goals, accounted for an impressive 57% of Fatih Karagümrük's total of 47 strikes this season.
