Defending champion Beşiktaş, Başakşehir draw with late goals

ISTANBUL

Beşiktaş and Başakşehir squandered the chance to cut the gap with league leader Galatasaray as they drew 1-1 on Oct. 23 at Istanbul’s Vodafone Park in a week 9 clash.

Late goals decided the result of the match as Başakşehir managed to go up 1-0 in the 89th minute, thanks to a top-right finish by former Beşiktaş player Kerim Frei.

But Beşiktaş defender Dusko Tosic equalized in the 92nd minute, when he headed in the ball from a corner by Portuguese winger Ricardo Quaresma.

The score helped neither Beşiktaş nor Başakşehir, as both teams failed to take advantage of current leader Galatasaray’s dropping of points in a goalless Istanbul derby with Fenerbahçe on Oct. 22.

Başakşehir is now on 17 points, level with Göztepe, Akhisarspor and Kayserispor but behind on goal difference.

Beşiktaş is in seventh with 15 points, behind sixth-placed Fenerbahçe with the same points tally.

The draw extended Beşiktaş’s winless streak in the league to four games.

Also on Oct. 22, Kayserispor beat Konyaspor 2-1, handing the visiting side its sixth loss of the season. There were no goals in Sivas as Sivasspor and Bursaspor played.

On Oct. 21 cellar-dweller Osmanlıspor grabbed its second victory of the season with a 3-0 home win against Karabükspor,

Akhisarspor came from two goals behind to grab a 3-3 home draw against 10-man Gençlerbirliği, and Trabzonspor failed to make an impressive start in its first game under new coach Rıza Çalımbay, losing 1-0 at newcomer Malatyaspor.

On Oct. 20, Göztepe was held to a 3-3 draw at home by Alanyaspor and Antalyaspor beat Kasımpaşa 2-1 at home.