He scored the second goal in the win (0-2) against Andrea Pirlo’s Fatih Karagümrük. “I feel delighted in Istanbul and this club. I appreciate the welcome they have given me,” he acknowledged after the match.
Juan Mata celebrated his first goal with the Galatasaray SK shirt. The Spanish footballer scored the second goal in the victory (0-2) at the Atatürk Olimpiyat, the Fatih Karagümrük stadium. Juan’s goal secured victory for Okan Buruk’s team, which took the lead in the 60th minute thanks to Emre Tasdemir.
Mata replaced Dries Mertens with a quarter of an hour to go to leave his mark. Andrea Pirlo directed the opposite team. Before the goal, he already had the opportunity to score, but Viviano, the local goalkeeper, rejected his shot. The Italian goalkeeper, who saved several occasions for Galatasaray, could not do anything in the 85th minute. Juan’s first shot hit a defender, but the Spaniard benefited from the rebound, too; this time, the ball went past Viviano.
Besides the goal, Mata was very active while on the pitch. He offered his teammates all over the attacking front, and combined short passes with long shots to give depth to Galatasaray’s game.
“I am thrilled to have scored my first goal and for the victory. I dedicate this goal to the fans,” declared Juan at the end of the match. “I feel fine in Istanbul and this club, and I appreciate the welcome from our fans and the Turkish people.”
