Turkey round-up: Contenders on course

Besiktas JK stretched their unbeaten start to the season to 20 games as the top four sides in the Turkish Superleague were all victorious this weekend.

Early goals
Istanbulspor AS did not make things easy for Besiktas, as the leaders ground out a 2-1 victory despite having made a flying start. Ilhan Mansiz gave Besiktas the lead on three minutes and eight minutes later set up Ahmet Dursun to double the advantage. But with 22 minutes left, Selçuk Sahin pulled one back, and Besikatas had to play the last moments with ten men following Sergen Yalçin's dismissal.

Overhead kick
Gençlerbirligi SK remain second, seven points behind, after beating Diyarbakirspor 3-1. Serkan Balci put the home side ahead in the 32nd minute, only to see visitors Diyarbakirspor level just after the break courtesy of a goal from Saffetv Akyüz. But once Veysel Cihan had restored the lead with an overhead kick 12 minutes from the end, there was no way back for the away team, and Ahmed Hassan made sure of victory in the final moments.

Revivo hat-trick
Galatasaray SK are a further point behind with a game in hand as they eased to a 4-0 win against Bursaspor. New Israeli signing Haim Revivo was the hero as he struck a second-half hat-trick, Ümit Davala having put Galatasaray ahead in the sixth minute. Revivo's feat began with a 51st-minute volley and eight minutes later he added a free-kick. The treble was complete in the 82nd minute after a run from midfield against a side reduced to ten men with the sending-off of Glauber for a foul from behind on Elvir Baljic.

Back on form
Fenerbahçe SK, in fourth, overcame their recent mixed form by beating fellow contenders for a European place Gaziantepspor 2-0. Samuel Johnson opened the scoring in the third minute to settle any Fenerbahçe nerves and Tuncay Sanli added the second just before half-time to keep his side in touch with the leaders and allow Trabzonspor to overhaul Gaziantepspor in fifth, thanks to a 4-0 win against Altay GK.

Close race
Lower down the table, 17th-placed Samsunspor gave themselves hope of escaping the drop as they beat bottom side Kocaelispor 1-0 with a late goal from Ertugrul Saglam. Göztepe beat Adanaspor AS 2-1 to ensure that both those side remain level with Samsunspor on 19 points, along with Istanbulspor and Bursaspor in a desperately close race at the bottom.

Point ahead
Elazigspor are only a point further ahead after beating MKE Ankaragücü 1-0, while in the other weekend game Malatyaspor overcame Denizlispor 2-1.