Beşiktaş beats Mersin to remain in title race

MERSİN

Beşiktaş's Senegalese forward Mamadou Niang (C) tries to dribble past two Mersin İdman Yurdu defenders in a Super League game. DHA photo

Beşiktaş beat struggling Mersin İdman Yurdu 2-1 on Monday night to continue its trail past Istanbul rivals in the Spor Toto Super League.

The Black Eagles claimed the win thanks to an own goal by Mersin’s Mert Nobre in the 51st minute.
Beşiktaş took the lead with Manuel Fernandes in the first half, and Mersin equalized with Nobre, a former Beşiktaş forward, finding the right net in the 40th minute.

“We played well in some parts of the game, but what mattered for us is that we won the game,” Beşiktaş coach Samet Aybaba said.

The bad news for Beşiktaş is that Portuguese forward Hugo Almeyda will not be available for selection for at least three weeks after sustaining an injury early in the game.

With the win, Beşiktaş took its tally to 46 points. Defending champion Galatasaray leads standings with 49 points and Fenerbahçe is second with 46 points.

In the other Monday night game of the round 27, Kardemir Karabükspor took a crucial 3-1 victory over Kayserispor to jump ahead from the relegation zone.

Congolese star Lomana LuaLua, Jamaican Luton Shelton and İlhan Parlak were on the score sheet on a good night for Karabükspor forwards, while Kayserispor’s only goal came from Ceyhun Gülselam, who is on loan from Galatasaray.

The win helped Karabükspor jump three spots into 13th place with 33 points.
Istanbul BB and Sanica Boru Elazığspor have 32 points.

Orduspor, with 29 points, Akhisar, which has 26 points, and Mersin İdman Yurdu, with 21 points, are in the relegation zone.

Meanwhile, Orduspor released a statement also on Monday, saying that it rejected Argentinean coach Hector Cuper’s resignation.

Cuper stepped down from the post after his team’s 3-2 defeat to Sivasspor, his team’s third straight loss.

Orduspor has won only one of its last seven matches.