Drogba and Burak rally Galatasaray to edge modest Torku Konyaspor 2-1

ISTANBUL

Galatasaray sum 19 points and move provisionally to the second place behind leaders Fenerbahçe. AA photo

Galatasaray clinched its third consecutive league victory after they overcame the bottom-of-the-table Torku Konyaspor 2-1 in front of their home crowd at Türk Telekom Arena.
 
Didier Drogba and Burak Yılmaz scored to rally the Lions from a one-goal deficit to the logical result over their newly-promoted, albeit tenacious rivals.
 
The Central Anatolian side, which stunned Fenerbahçe in the first week, snatched a shocking goal to open the score in front of 30,000 Galatasaray supporters when Theofanis Gekas intercepted a bad pass from the Lions’ goalkeeper Fernando Muslera in the 16th minute. The nicknamed “Greek God” chipped the ball to Recep Aydın, who pushed the it into the back of the net, giving an unexpected lead to the visitors.
 
The defending champions had to wait until the first half’s stoppage time for the equalizer with Drogba’s header on a cross from Umut Bulut. 
 
Drogba’s partner in attack, Burak also confirmed his return to form with a trademark goal in the 67th minute, dribbling the goalkeeper Charles Itandje after receiving a through pass from Aydın Yılmaz.
 
With the unostentatious but vital victory, Roberto Mancini’s men sum 19 points and move provisionally to the second place behind leaders Fenerbahçe before their crucial Champions League game against Copenhagen in Denmark.
 
The Yellow Canaries, with 22 points, travel on Nov. 2 to former coach Christoph Daum’s Bursa. Beşiktaş, fourth with 17 points, will look to get back into winning ways against Kardemir Karabükspor on Nov. 3.