Beşitaş fans beaten with sticks during Orduspor win

ISTANBUL

Fans were beaten with iron sticks at the İnönü Stadium during the April 27 game. AA photo

Three men beat a group of Beşiktaş fans with iron sticks at the İnönü Stadium during the Spor Toto Super League game against Orduspor on April 27.

The daily Hürriyet reported that after the final whistle, a group of fans started protesting against the team’s coach Samet Aybaba. Then three men from the VIP stands went down to the lower seats to attack the fans with sticks.

The hits broke the nose and teeth of one fan. The incidents happened right in front of the press stands, the daily added.

Police detained the three men, one of whom said he was the bodyguard of Beşiktaş board member Tamer Kıran, the daily reported. However, Kıran denied having a bodyguard and a relationship with the person.

The attacks prompted larger protests against the Beşiktaş board.

Beşiktaş edges Bursa

Beşiktaş won the game 2-0, thanks to goals by Mamadou Niang and an own goal by Ömer Kulga, to maintain its third spot. With the win, Beşiktaş got an edge over Bursaspor, who was held to a 1-1 draw by Akhisar also on April 28, for a Europa League qualification spot.

Bursaspor found an equalizer through its Argentinean maestro Pablo Batalla after Akhisar took the lead with Theofanis Gekas.

With the draw, Akshisar remained 15th, just one spot above the relegation zone. The Aegean minnows are battling to survive in their first season at the top-flight, with Gekas proving to be a revelation for the club.

The Greek marksman scored his 11th goal in 12 games after arriving at Akhisar as a mid-season signing. Akhisar has 36 points with three matches left to go, while Istanbul BB, which suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat to Sivasspor, remained 16th with 33 points. Orduspor is hanging by a thread with 29 points, while Mersin İdman Yurdu, with 22 points, had already lost the relegation battle. Sanica Boru Elazığspor beat Kardemir Karabükspor to almost guarantee survival.