Mesut Ozil’s Fenerbahce nightmare continues as former Arsenal star misses sitter, is nutmegged and then is STRETCHERED off in Turkish side’s draw with Antalyaspor
- Mesut Ozil has yet to provide a goal or assist since joining Fenerbahce
- He missed a glorious chance against Antalyspor to break his current duck
- He fired wide of the target with the goal gaping despite having plenty of time
- Ozil was stretchered off after going over on his ankle from Fredy’s challenge
Mesut Ozil’s horrendous start to life at Fenerbahce took another turn for the worse after missing a simple chance before going off injured in the 1-1 draw against Antalyaspor.
The former Germany international has yet to score or provide an assist since joining the Turkish outfit in January after his contract at Arsenal was cancelled.
The 32-year-old however was presented with a golden opportunity to break that duck – with his side trailing – when he received the ball just inside the box after Antalyaspor had conceded possession cheaply and with goalkeeper Ruud Boffin well out of position.
Mesut Ozil’s Fenerbahce nightmare continued as he missed a sitter and went off injured
Ozil missed a terrific chance to bring Fenerbahce level against Antalyaspor but fired wide
The away defence were also scrambling to get back in position, giving Ozil plenty of time to set himself and fire at a gaping visitors’ goal to equalise just two minutes before half time, but following a poor first touch, his drilled shot whistled past the near post.
Ozil was despondent after missing the sitter, crouching over in disbelief just under a minute after he had been nutmegged.
But the misery would not end there sadly for the German, who appeared to go over on his ankle following a challenge from behind Antalyaspor goalscorer Fredy, who had already been booked but saw no further punishment.
The 2014 World Cup winner had to be stretchered off on 67 minutes as he was unable to continue, to be replaced by Irfan Kahveci and compound what has been a miserable start to his club career in Turkey.
He then appeared to go over on his ankle following a challenge from goalscorer Fredy
Reports from Goal suggest he could now spend as long as six weeks on the sidelines after sustaining partial tears to his inner and outer lateral ankle ligaments, and is in danger of missing the enormous clash against rivals Besiktas later this month.
Boffin was sent off in the 10th minute of injury time in an entertaining fixture for the visitors, whose side also featured former Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool midfielder Nuri Sahin as well as former Arsenal and Germany forward Lukas Podolski.
Ex-West Ham and Everton striker Enner Valencia however made no mistake and ensured Fenerbahce did equalise seven minutes from time, but they nevertheless failed to take full advantage of Turkish Super Lig leaders Galatasaray’s defeat by Ankaragucu on Wednesday.
Since making his first Fenerbahce appearance as a substitute on February 2, Ozil has been on the losing side in three of his first seven outings, and the slump in form has seen his side surrender top spot and fall to third place.
The German left Arsenal after seven-and-a-half years at the club, having been left out of Mikel Arteta’s Premier League and Europa League squads for the first half of the current campaign.
The former Arsenal man had to be stretchered off in the Turkish’s side’s latest stalemate
