Beşiktaş loses Süper Lig’s top spot

ISTANBUL

Trabzonspor came from behind to beat Beşiktaş with a 2-1 in an away game on the night of Jan. 31, making the home side lose its top spot in the Turkish Süper Lig standings.

Beşiktaş scored the first goal of the game in the 29th minute when Cameroonian forward Vincent Aboubakar’s header beat Trabzonspor goalkeeper Ugurcan Çakır.

It was Aboubakar’s 12th league goal of the season.

Luck was on Trabzonspor’s side near the end of the first half, as a left-winger, Anthony Nwakaeme, shot was deflected twice to beat Beşiktaş goalkeeper Ersin Destanoğlu, with the own goal credits going to defender Francisco Montero.

In the 63rd minute, Brazilian defender Vitor Hugo scored with a right-footed strike in the area to bring a 2-1 lead for the visiting side, making a comeback.

Beşiktaş played the last 13 minutes of the game with 10 men after midfielder Dorukhan Toköz was sent off due to a harsh tackle against his opponent.

The home side took risks, preferring an ultra-attacking move to create chances even with a man down, but Trabzonspor defended well to hold on to the victory.

The three major Istanbul clubs continued their domination atop the Süper Lig standings after Week 21 games, with Fenerbahçe, which beat Rizespor by 1-0 on Jan. 30, leading the pack with 45 points.

Beşiktaş trails by one point, while Galatasaray is sitting in the third spot with 42 points following a 2-1 win at Gaziantep on Jan. 29.

Alanyaspor is placed fourth with 37 points, while Trabzonspor climbed up to the fifth spot thanks to the win over Beşiktaş.

Meanwhile, defending champion Başakşehir dropped down to the 15th spot with a shocking 5-1 loss on Jan. 30 at home against Hatayspor.

Gabonese forward Aaron Boupendza and Senegalese forward Mame Diouf scored two goals each for the visiting side, while Nigerian winger David Akintola added another from a successful penalty shot.

Başakşehir’s consolidation goal came in the 80th minute when Hatayspor’s Mohammed Kamara scored an own goal.

Hatayspor hosts Fenerbahçe in a rare afternoon game on Feb. 2 in mid-week action in the Süper Lig, while Başakşehir travels to Galatasaray.

Elsewhere in the Süper Lig over the weekend, Gençlerbirliği suffered its fifth defeat in a row, losing 1-0 at home to Antalyaspor.

The Ankara club, which slipped to the 19th spot in the standings, has announced that Mehmet Altıparmak will replace coach Mustafa Kaplan to become the third coach of the club, with only half of the league race behind.

Also, in the Süper Lig, Malatyaspor and Karagümrük shared the spoils in a goalless draw, Kayserispor won 1-0 against Kasımpaşa, 10-man Erzurumspor beat nine-man Ankaragücü with a 1-0 at home in a crucial game for the relegation fight, Alanyaspor beat Sivasspor by 3-1 and Denizlispor remained at the bottom of the standings despite a 2-1 home victory over Göztepe.