Galatasaray loses top spot in league

ANKARA

Galatasaray lost the top spot in Spor Toto Super League standings after being defeated 1-0 by Gençlerbirliği on the evening of April 9 in the capital Ankara.

The surprise loss against a club fighting against relegation meant that Başakşehir, which beat Malatyaspor 1-0 in Week 28 games, now leads the league with 59 points, two points ahead of Galatasaray.

The top two teams will meet next week at Galatasaray’s home turf, Turk Telekom Stadium.

Gençlerbirliği managed to topple the Istanbul club thanks to a counter-attack goal in the dying minutes of the game, when Dutch winger Elvis Manu carried the ball, allowing Alper Uludağ to send the ball into the net in a one-on-one situation with goalkeeper Fernando Muslera.

The goal gave Gençlerbirliği a much-needed victory, as the team climbed out of the relegation zone, increasing to 30 points.

Konyaspor remained in the relegation zone despite trashing Sivasspor 5-0 on April 8, and so did Osmanlıspor, which lost 2-0 at Fenerbahçe on the same day.

Cellar-dweller Karabükspor, which lost 2-1 at home to Antalyaspor on April 7, became the first team to drop to the First League.

Third-placed Beşiktaş continued its pursuit of the top two with a convincing 5-1 home victory against Göztepe.

Bursaspor has parted ways with coach Paul Le Guen following a 1-0 home loss against Kasımpaşaspor on April 8, the team’s ninth loss in its last 14 games.

Also in Week 28 games, Trabzonspor beat Kayserispor 4-0 at home and Alanyaspor beat Akhisarspor 3-1 at a home game.