Beşiktaş claims comeback win over Galatasaray in derby
ANKARA
Beşiktaş completed a 2-1 comeback to topple city rival Galatasaray in Oct. 25’s Istanbul derby in the Turkish Süper Lig.
Galatasaray’s Romanian midfielder Alexandru Cicaldau scored the opener from outside the area in the 35th minute to give the lead to the visiting side at Vodafone Park.
Beşiktaş leveled the match only four minutes later, when Canadian forward Cyle Larin scored a header.
Galatasaray goalkeeper Fernando Muslera mistimed to punch the ball crossed by Umut Meras from the left flank as Larin rose to put the ball into Galatasaray net.
The home side completed the comeback in the second half thanks to another goal by Larin.Beşiktaş defender Necip Uysal nodded the ball to the far post in a corner kick, where Larin made a close-range finish in the 64th minute to put his side ahead.
Galatasaray was awarded a penalty kick in the 79th minute when Beşiktaş defender Domagoj Vida handballed in the area.
But Beşiktaş goalkeeper Ersin Destanoğlu saved the shot taken by Galatasaray’s Mostafa Mohamed.
Galatasaray coach Fatih Terim was unhappy with the way the penalty shot was taken.
“It is clear that the team’s penalty kicker is Cicaldau,” he said after the game.
“Everybody knows this, including he who took the shot,” Terim added, without mentioning Egyptian striker Mohamed by name.
“He [Mohamed] took the ball from Cicaldau’s hand, he wanted to shoot it, and [Cicaldau] gave it. Unfortunately, such things happen. It’s not right to take the ball away from him. It’s not right to take the ball from [Cicaldau’s] hand. He is the team’s penalty shooter. Anyways, if you can’t even score a penalty shot, you will lose.”
Beşiktaş coach Sergen Yalçın, on the other hand, was happy with his players’ performances hopes that they will continue to perform in the coming weeks.
“As long as this will, desire and strength [of the players] continue, good results will come,” he said.
“It’s early in the league competition, we’re still in the first quarter. It is a long season and we should be patient.”
Yalçın said his side wants to defend the title.
“What matters is our overall success,” he added.
“The result of just one match should not make us happy. There is an adventure to go until May. We will never give up, we will push it to the end. We managed that last season. Our fans should have no doubt that we will not stop fighting until the end.”
With the victory, Beşiktaş climbed up to the third place with 20 points in 10 matches to cling to the title race.
Galatasaray is currently in the eighth spot with 17 points in the standings, topped by Trabzonspor with 24 points.
