Is the first goal decisive in the Galatasaray-Fenerbahçe derby?

Ahead of the Galatasaray-Fenerbahçe derby, to be played on Monday, October 26 in Week 9 of the Trendyol Süper Lig, the two teams' past meetings in the league are drawing attention. The sides have faced each other 138 times in league matches so far.

According to the data, the team that scores first in the rivalry wins most of the matches. The side that scored first has lost only 10 times. Galatasaray have won 34 matches after scoring first, while Fenerbahçe have won 48 matches after breaking a goalless deadlock.

Of the matches between the two teams, 26 ended in draws with goals. In 20 matches, no goals were scored at all. Fenerbahçe have taken the lead in 12 matches, while Galatasaray have gone ahead in 14 matches only to be caught by their rival.

Historical examples are also striking. In the 1970-1971 season, Galatasaray took the lead in a match but lost 2-1, which was the first time a team that had gone ahead lost. Fenerbahçe, meanwhile, stand out for four matches they won from behind since the 2008-2009 season.