Galatasaray snap 8-match winless streak with home win

ANKARA-Anadolu Agency

Galatasaray beat Göztepe as the Lions ended an eight-match winless drought on July 18 in the Turkish Süper Lig.

Neither team was able to break the deadlock in the first half at Türk Telekom Stadium

But after the break, Uruguayan defender Marcelo Saracchi scored the opening goal in the 60th minute.

Seventeen minutes later, Italian forward Stefano Napoleoni sent the ball into Galatasaray's net to tie the score.

Other goals came from Turkish players Emre Akbaba and Yunus Akgün in minutes 81 and 97, respectively, to end the match 3-1.

Galatasaray forward Adem Büyük and Göztepe forward Napoleoni each scored but those goals were disallowed by a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) decision.

Also, Galatasaray was awarded a penalty in the 49th minute but Adem Buyuk missed the shot.

The penalty was retaken because Göztepe goalie violated the goal line.

Shortly after, French midfielder Younes Belhanda also missed the penalty.

Galatasaray increased its point total to 55 and are in fifth place. Göztepe dropped to eleventh with 39 points.

Gaziantep FK drew with Kasimpasa 2-2, in another match Saturday.

Erzurumspor secure promotion to Turkish Süper Lig

Büyükşehir Belediye Erzurumspor secured promotion to Turkey's top football league after defeating Umraniyespor 4-1 on July 18.

The Week 34 win moved second-placed Erzurumspor up to 62 points and ensured its place in the Turkish Süper Lig next season.

The club joined Hatayspor, who won the TFF First Lig last week, in securing promotion to the top division.

Adana Demirspor, Akhisarspor, Fatih Karagümrük, and Bursaspor will now battle it out in the playoffs to decide the third and final team to be promoted to the Turkish Süper Lig next season.