Başakşehir climbs atop Turkish league table

Galatasaray was held to a 1-1 draw in Kayseri and slipped to third place, while the new leader enjoyed a 3-1 home victory against Kasımpaşa. 

Beşiktaş beat 10-man Karabükspor 3-1 at home to climb to the second spot.

Sept. 10’s other games ended in goalless draws, with Gençlerbirliği and Aytemiz Alanyaspor sharing the spoils in Ankara and Gaziantepspor getting its first draw of the season at Adanaspor.

Başakşehir coach Abdullah Avcı, a former Turkish international coach, was delighted with his side’s start to the season

“Three weeks, nine points, and we conceded only one goal, which came from set pieces,” he told a post-match press conference. 

“In terms of season starts, this is a first for our club. This is important, it is a nice story. I hope that we can maintain this performance. I congratulate my players,” he added.

Beşiktaş coach Şenol Güneş also praised his players’ performances after the victory, and took a shot at the football federation for the timing of the game.

“We applied to play this game earlier; [our opponents] Benfica and Dynamo Kiev played yesterday,” Güneş said, recalling that the Istanbul club will launch its Champions League group stage campaign against Benfica on Sept. 13.

“I’m not saying this as an excuse,” Güneş added. “We will overcome this. But the priority should be the national team, followed by the Champions League and the Europa League, then should come the league competition.”