Galatasaray crowned winter champion in Süper Lig

ISTANBUL

Galatasaray ended the first half of the Turkish Süper Lig season atop the standings, eight points clear of its closest follower thanks to a Victor Osimhen-led 5-1 win over Kayserispor on Dec. 22 night.

Fenerbahçe, which was held to a 1-1 draw at Eyüpspor on Dec. 20, trails its archival with 36 points in 16 matches, while Samsunspor sits in the third spot six points behind.

Beşiktaş, which is going through an administrative and sportive crisis and will elect a new club president at an extraordinary congress on Dec. 29, failed to beat Alanyaspor at home and is in the sixth spot, 18 points behind the leader.

In Kayseri on Dec. 22, night, Galatasaray was awarded an early penalty after a handball in the area, with Nigerian star Osimhen successfully converting the spot kick.

Kayserispor leveled the game with a header from Cameroonian forward Stephane Bahoken in the 14th minute but failed to stop the Galatasaray domination.

The defending Süper Lig champion took the lead once again in the 29th minute as Turkish winger Barış Alper Yılmaz scored a right-footed volley in the penalty area.

Galatasaray made a quick start to the second half and winger Yunus Akgün dribbled the ball for 60 meters from his own half before giving his side a two-goal lead.

Osimhen was on the scoresheet again as the striker found a chance to chip the ball over the goalkeeper in a calm way in the 71st minute, and Yılmaz unleashed a right-footed strike from a narrow angle to score his side’s fifth goal in the 87th minute.

Galatasaray has been unbeaten in its last 20 matches on all fronts and extended its away win series in the Süper Lig to nine games.

Coach Okan Buruk said his team cleared another hurdle on the way to the league trophy.

"We are happy to have won, we continue on our way,” he said after the match.

“To have an eight-point difference against our closest rival is very important. I want to thank my players, they played with a high level of concentration. It was a good game, a good night for us. We continue on our way with confidence."

Fenerbahçe coach Jose Mourinho, on the other hand, is not ready to throw in the towel yet.

"As long as you have a chance [to win the trophy], you have a chance,” he said after Eyüpspor draw.

“Nobody can convince me otherwise. Nobody can convince me [otherwise] despite the points difference. The league race is still open.”

Meanwhile, Mourinho left Türkiye to undergo a gallbladder operation.

The operation was scheduled for Dec. 23, and the Portuguese coach is expected to be back in charge when his team gets together on Dec. 27 following a week off.

The Süper Lig competition will continue when the winter break concludes on Jan. 5, 2025.