Başakşehir claims top spot in league, Fenerbahçe also wins

ISTANBUL

Last season’s runner-up Başakşehir made the best of Galatasaray’s flop in the Spor Toto Super League, claiming the top with a 1-0 win against Osmanlıspor on Dec 3.

Alexandru Epureanu’s 57th-minute goal gave the home side three points, carrying the Istanbul club to the top of the table for the first time this season.

The team increased its total points to 30, and is now one point ahead of Galatasaray, which suffered a 3-0 loss at Beşiktaş on Dec. 2 evening.

Galatasaray had been leading the league since the first week, but only two victories in its last five league games pushed the club down to the second spot.

Başakşehir coach Abdullah Avcı, a former Turkish national team coach, was happy with the hard-earned victory.

“We are the leader. It is not important to be the champion, what matters is to be able to play like a leader and a champion,” Avcı told reporters after the game.

“We are going through a tough process and we are moving healthily, I congratulate my players for that,” he added.

Also on Dec. 3, Fenerbahçe defeated city rival Kasımpaşa 4-2 to increase its total points to 26, reclaiming the third place on level points with Beşiktaş and narrowing the gap with Galatasaray to three points.

Giuliano was again on form, scoring two goals for Fenerbahçe. Roman Neustadter and Mathieu Valbuena also had their names on the scoresheet for the home side, while Kasımpaşa’s goals came from Bernard Mensah and Jhon Murillo.

Fenerbahçe coach Aykut Kocaman sang Giuliano praises after the game.

“I often talk about how happy I am with Giuliano,” Kocaman said when asked about the performances of the Brazilian striker, who increased his league goal tally to seven.

“He is no just a scorer, he also organizes the team and closes the gaps on the pitch. He will achieve what he deserves if he continues to score. It is important that such dedicated players succeed,” he added.

Elsewhere on Dec. 2, Gençlerbirliği grabbed its third win of the season, beating Sivasspor 4-0 at home, and Bursaspor climbed up in the standings with a 3-0 victory at struggling Konyaspor.

The Week 14 games are to be completed late on Dec. 4 when Alanyaspor hosts Kayserispor and Trabzonspor takes on Antalyaspor at home.