Business as usual in Turkey

By Türker Tozar

It is a case of as you were in the Turkish Superleague with the top five sides coming out victorious. Fenerbahçe SK led the way, overcoming Gençlerbirligi SK 3-2 at the Sükrü Saraçoglu thanks to a hat-trick from midfield player Alex.

Balci banished
The visitors took an 18th-minute lead through Souleymane Youla but two penalties from Alex gave Fenerbahçe the lead before half-time. Youla equalised in the 54th minute and then Fenerbahçe were reduced to ten men when Serkan Balci was dismissed for dissent - but two minutes from time a powerful shot from Alex went in off the post to earn the Istanbul side victory.

Kabze shines
Fenerbahçe stay five points clear at the summit after second-placed Galatasaray SK cruised to a 3-0 win against struggling Istanbulspor AS courtesy of three goals from Hasan Kabze, who was making his first start for the club since signing from Dardanelspor AS in place of the suspended Necati Ates.

Two for Fatih
Third-placed Trabzonspor returned to winning ways at home against Sakaryaspor, despite seeing a three-goal margin reduced to one in the dying minutes. Former Trabzonspor midfield player Emre Toraman put the 15th-placed side ahead with a ninth-minute penalty but the home team were soon level through Polish midfield player Miroslaw Szymkowiak. Ibrahima Yattara made it 2-1 to Trabzonspor from the penalty spot and two goals from Fatih Tekke looked to have made the game safe before Sakaryaspor's late charge.

Hassan winner
Besiktas JK also got back on track this week after coming from 2-0 down to win 4-2 at BB Ankaraspor. Brazilian duo Wederson and Jaba put the home side ahead but Ibrahim Akin made it 2-1 two minutes before half-time. Besiktas equalised on 47 minutes through Ahmed Dursun, and the comeback was complete thanks to a double from Ahmed Hassan.

Six goal thriller
Fifth-placed Rizespor also claimed maximum points, winning 2-1 against bottom side Akçaabat Sebatspor but sixth-placed Denizlispor could not follow the lead of the top five after drawing 1-1 with MKE Ankaragücü. Elsewhere, Konyaspor defeated Malatyaspor 2-0, Diyarbakirspor lost 3-0 at Gaziantepspor, while six goals failed to separate Samsunspor and Kayserispor.