Fenerbahçe secured a 1-0 victory over Beşiktaş in a tense Istanbul derby, thanks to a 90+11th-minute penalty converted by Kerem Aktürkoğlu. The decisive moment came after referee Yasin Kol awarded Fenerbahçe a spot-kick following a tackle by Emmanuel Agbadou on Dorgeles Nené. Replays indicated Agbadou won the ball cleanly, with no clear foul evident. Despite the use of VAR in the Turkish Süper Lig, the decision was not reviewed on the pitch. The goal followed a goalless first half and a disallowed strike for Fenerbahçe in the 56th minute, when Gökhan Sazdağı's effort was ruled offside.
Super Eagles midfielder Wilfred Ndidi, who started in Beşiktaş' midfield, expressed strong dissatisfaction with the officiating. He posted on Instagram after the match: "How can you have VAR and decide not to check? I'm still trying to understand." His comments highlighted the controversy surrounding the late penalty decision in a match that had major implications for the Süper Lig title race. Fenerbahçe remained four points behind league leaders Galatasaray after the win. The result sparked renewed debate over refereeing standards in Turkey, with fans and players alike questioning the consistency and integrity of officiating in high-stakes fixtures.
Wilfred Ndidi's pointed question—"How can you have VAR and decide not to check?"—exposes a deeper issue than one bad call; it reveals a system failing to enforce its own safeguards. When a last-minute penalty decides a derby with title consequences, and no VAR intervention follows, the credibility of the entire league takes a hit. Ndidi didn't just protest a decision—he highlighted a pattern that undermines competitive fairness.
