Bilal Boutobba registered his seventh goal of the Turkish Süper Lig season on Sunday, but his efforts were not enough to prevent Hatayspor from falling to a 3-2 defeat against Konyaspor.
The Algerian forward was central to Hatayspor’s attacking efforts, finding the back of the net in the 28th minute with a well-placed header following a cross from teammate Demir.
Rising at the penalty spot, Boutobba expertly directed his effort past the Konyaspor goalkeeper, temporarily putting his side in control of the match.
The encounter, however, did not begin smoothly for Hatayspor. After conceding the opening goal, the visitors thought they had responded swiftly in the 14th minute when Strandberg slotted home from close range.
The goal was set up by Boutobba, but was ultimately ruled out after a VAR review determined the Algerian had handled the ball in the build-up.
That disappointment was short-lived. Just over ten minutes later, Boutobba made amends with his own goal—an assertive header that brought the scores level and marked yet another milestone in a standout individual campaign.
Hatayspor continued their momentum, and within minutes of Boutobba’s equaliser, Parmak fired them into the lead with a sharp finish that gave the visitors a 2-1 advantage going into half-time.
However, the second half belonged to Konyaspor, who found their rhythm and responded with two goals to turn the game on its head.
Despite Hatayspor’s resilience, they struggled to regain control in the final stages. Boutobba had one final opportunity to salvage a point in the 90th minute.
Positioned just outside the penalty area, he struck a left-footed shot with power but narrowly missed the target as the ball curled wide.
The result leaves Hatayspor reflecting on what could have been in a tightly contested match that swung both ways. For Boutobba, the goal reinforces his growing influence within the squad.
His attacking contributions have consistently provided hope for Hatayspor in a challenging season, and his tally of seven goals stands as one of the club’s few bright spots.
Though the defeat will sting, particularly given the quality of chances created, Hatayspor will look to regroup as the league campaign nears its final stretch.
With Boutobba continuing to demonstrate his value in the final third, the club will be eager to capitalise on his form in the remaining fixtures.
As for Konyaspor, the win marked an important boost in their bid to finish strong in the Süper Lig standings.
For Hatayspor, however, the focus will remain on tightening their defence and converting promising spells into more consistent results.
Boutobba’s performance, despite the defeat, once again proved that the Algerian remains a reliable attacking outlet capable of turning matches on their head.
