Altay–Göztepe derby

2022 match abandonment

The 27 November 2022 TFF First League match between the two teams, played at Göztepe's Gürsel Aksel Stadium was initially halted in the 19th minute when pyrotechnics and fireworks were launched from the Altay away supporters' section into the Göztepe home stands. The debris struck several home spectators, severely injuring one fan who required emergency medical attention on the pitch and was subsequently evacuated by ambulance.^[1]

During the stoppage in play, as players and medical staff gathered near the touchline, a Göztepe supporter breached stadium security and ran onto the pitch. The invader removed a corner flag and attacked Altay goalkeeper Ozan Evrim Özenç from behind, striking him twice over the head and shoulders. The wooden shaft of the corner flag shattered upon impact. The goalkeeper was injured and required hospitalization, while security personnel and players subdued the attacker. Following a consultation with security officials and representatives from both clubs, the referee abandoned the match. Both teams were handed a 3-0 defeat and ordered to play several matches behind closed doors. Effectively, neither team earned points from the fixture.^[2]

Özenç suffered a 4cm opening in his head and was hospitalized, though he was released the following day. The fan struck by the flare underwent multiple surgeries for facial reconstruction. Following the incident, 21 individuals were detained. Nihat Aydın, the pitch invader, was charged with "attempted murder," and several Altay fans faced charges for smuggling pyrotechnics into the stadium via private ambulance drivers. Furkan Ersanlı, the supporter who launched the fireworks, was sentenced to 15 years in prison in May 2024. The İzmir 3rd High Criminal Court convicted him of "intentional injury with a weapon," "smuggling prohibited substances," and "disrupting a sporting event." The remaining 20 individuals involved in the incident were released on probation.^[3]