Galatasaray closing gap on leader Başakşehir

ISTANBUL

Reigning champion Galatasaray cut the gap with Spor Toto Super League leader Başakşehir to six points with Feb. 10’s victory at home.

Galatasaray defeated Trabzonspor 3-1 to narrow the gap with Başakşehir as the leader was held to a 1-1 draw at Erzurumspor in Week 21 games.

Younes Belhanda  scored a double for Galatasaray, while Mbaye Diagne, the league’s top goal scorer who joined the team from Kasımpaşaspor in the winter break for a reported fee of 12 million euros, scored in his debut game successfully converting a penalty shot.

The game was marred by refereeing mistakes, leading to Trabzonspor chairman arguing that “the young players of Trabzonspor were massacred tonight.”

Başakşehir now has 45 points atop the standings, with its closest rival Galatasaray at 39 points.         

Başakşehir had a clean start to the second half of Turkish league with three wins in a row until it dropped its first points over the weekend.

Fenerbahçe, meanwhile, slipped down in standings with a 1-0 loss at home against Kayserispor on Feb. 8. The struggling Istanbul club has been suffering the worst league season in its history, with only five wins in 21 outings.

Fenerbahçe is now in 14th place, only three points away from the relegation zone, and a distant 22 points away from the top spot. On Feb. 9, Beşiktaş beat Bursaspor 2-0 at home to remain in third place with 36 points.         

Also in the Super League over the weekend, Rizespor was held to a 1-1 draw at home by Antalyaspor, Göztepe beat Alanyaspor 3-2 in a home game, and the game between Konyaspor and Malatyaspor ended in a 1-1 draw.