Galatasaray maintains perfect run as city rivals falter
ISTANBUL
Turkish Spor Toto Super Lig leaders Galatasaray Reigning Spor Toto Super League champion maintained its perfect league record this season, winning its third game in a row in a week two of the major title contenders faltered.
Galatasaray routed Alanyaspor 6-0 at home on Aug. 27 night, while Beşiktaş lost 3-2 at home to Antalyaspor a day earlier, and Fenerbahçe came back empty-handed from Göztepe away with a 1-0 loss in İzmir on Aug. 25.
Brazilian midfielder Fernando Reges scored the opener for Galatasaray at Türk Telekom Arena in the 37th minute as the Istanbul team led the first half 1-0.
In the 50th minute, German winger Sinan Gümüş doubled the score for his side, and three minutes later, Swiss striker Eren Derdiyok made it three.
Former Alanyaspor midfielder Emre Akbaba scored two goals in his first game against the Mediterranean club in the 56th and 85th minutes, and chose not to celebrate.
Galatasaray’s other goal came from Nigerian winger Henry Onyekuru in the 82nd minute.
The defending champion has now nine points and sits atop the league standings on goal difference.
Meanwhile, Galatasaray announced on Aug. 27 that Stoke City midfielder Badou Ndiaye underwent medical tests for the Istanbul club.
Galatasaray said on Twitter Ndiaye had his medical done at the Medical Park Bahçelievler Hospital, which is one of the club’s sponsors.
On Aug. 25, Galatasaray started talks for a loan deal for Ndiaye.
“Official negotiations have started with Stoke City for the temporary transfer of professional footballer Papa Alioune Ndiaye,” the Istanbul-based club said in a statement.
In August 2017, Galatasaray purchased the 27-year-old Senegalese midfielder from the Ankara club Osmanlıspor for 7.5 million euros ($8.8 million).
Last January, during the winter transfer window, Galatasaray sold Ndiaye to English club Stoke City for a transfer fee of 16 million euros ($18.7 million).
Since then, Ndiaye has scored two goals for Stoke City in 13 Premier League appearances.
At Vodafone Park on Aug. 26, Beşiktaş suffered a shock loss.
Antalyaspor striker Souleymane Doukara scored twice, and midfielder Yekta Kurtulus added another one in the first half for the visiting side.
Beşiktaş striker Alvaro Negredo’s goal in the first half and another by defender Pepe in the second were not enough for the home side.
German goalkeeper Loris Karius, who joined Beşkitaş on a two-year loan deal last week, watched the game from the stands.
In İzmir’s Bornova Stadium on Aug. 25, a single goal by Göztepe’s Halil Akbunar in the 66th minute gave the home side a valuable victory, while increasing the pressure on Fenerbahçe coach Phillip Cocu, having lost two league games in addition to being knocked out of the Champions League competition.
In other games on Aug. 25, Kayserispor hosted Malatyaspor in a goalless draw and Ankaragücü was held to a 2-2 draw at home by Trabzonspor.
On Aug. 26, Kasımpaşa won 3-0 at Sivasspor and Bursaspor grabbed one point at Konyaspor with a 1-1 draw.
In other Week 3 games, Başakşehir beat Akhisarspor 3-1 at home and newcomers Rizespor and Erzurumspor shared the spoils in a goalless draw.smashed Aytemiz Alanyaspor 6-0 at home late Monday at Turk Telekom Stadium.
Results
Çaykur Rizespor-Büyükşehir Belediye Erzurumspor: 0-0
MKE Ankaragücü-Trabzonspor: 2-2
Kayserispor-Evkur Yeni Malatyaspor: 0-0
Göztepe-Fenerbahçe: 1-0
Demir Grup Sivasspor-Kasımpaşa: 0-3
Atiker Konyaspor-Bursaspor: 1-1
Beşiktaş-Antalyaspor: 2-3
Medipol Başakşehir-Akhisarspor: 3-1
Galatasaray-Aytemiz Alanyaspor: 6-0