AAP Soccer

Turkish soccer match abandoned after team walks off

By AAP Newswire

Feb 10, 2025

On loan from AC Milan, Alvaro Morata converted a controversial penalty for Galatasaray. -AP

Turkish soccer team Adana Demirspor have walked off the field to protest refereeing decisions, causing the Super Lig match against hosts Galatasaray to be abandoned.

Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content

Galatasaray were leading Sunday's match 1-0 following a controversial penalty - which their own coach thought shouldn't have been awarded - when Adana players decided to walk off in the 30th minute of the top-tier game.

"If a referee mistake was made, it will be evaluated," Galatasaray head coach Okan Buruk said. "In my opinion, it was a position closer to not being a penalty."

He added: "This is not the first mistake made against Adana Demirspor."

The penalty was awarded in the 11th minute after Dries Mertens was apparently tripped. Despite television replays showing that the former Napoli player had seemingly dived, the video assistant referee confirmed the penalty, which was converted by new signing Alvaro Morata.

Adana reportedly grew increasingly frustrated by other refereeing decisions, prompting the club's decision to pull the players off the field - to resounding jeers from fans.

Galatasaray's website said its team "will win the match by default," though the official decision will be made by the Turkish Football Federation.

"This is a great harm done to Turkish football," Buruk said. "I am saddened for Turkish soccer. There is always an effort to make Turkish soccer look bad to the outside world."

By AAP Newswire

Australian Associated Press