Drogba & Co take Akhisar for ride with half-dozen goals

ISTANBUL

Led by Drogba, Galatasaray continues its hot pursuit of Fenerbahçe, moving up to 48 points. AA photo

Galatasaray thrashed the surprising Akhisar Belediye Gençlik 6-1 with braces from its Ivorian legend Didier Drogba and new recruit Alex Telles on March 8, avenging a defeat at the hands of the Manisa-based team earlier in the season. Wesley Sneijder and Burak Yılmaz also added goals to the Lions’ feast, while Mehmet Akyüz scored a consolation for the visitors.

While they have at times had difficulty away, Roberto Mancini’s men laid bare their intention to turn the Lions’ new Turk Telekom Arena stadium into a place as intimidating as the old Ali Sami Yen.

The game also marked the return of Hamit Altıntop to the squad after a long injury. An unusual argument between the Lions’ dauntless Brazilian Felipe Melo and the referee Fırat Aydınus during the second half also took some of the gloss off Cim Bom’s rampant victory. Following the game, Melo reportedly accused the referee of having insulted him while Aydınus called the Referee Committee’s President “in tears” to refute the claims.

With the win, Galatasaray continues its hot pursuit of Fenerbahçe, moving up to 48 points. Still among the top pack despite their lack of experience in the elite, their Aegean rivals stand sixth with 35 points, putting the side in contention for Europe. The Yellow Canaries lead the league with 51 points and a game in hand.