The stadium roared as Galatasaray finally stumbled in the Turkish league. After an impressive run of seven straight victories, the reigning champions, who sit atop the league, settled for a 1-1 draw in the heated derby against Besiktas. This was a golden chance for Besiktas to snatch a victory away from their rivals, and it slipped right through their fingers.
Besiktas initially took control of the match. English striker Tammy Abraham put the visiting side ahead in the 12th minute, setting off celebrations. Tiago Djaló and Rafa Silva both started for Galatasaray, while Jota Silva watched from the bench. The game took a dramatic turn in the 34th minute when Davinson Sánchez received a red card. He brought down Rafa just outside the penalty area, leaving Galatasaray with only ten players on the field. Despite being a man down, Galatasaray showed incredible fight. Gündogan found the back of the net in the 55th minute, pulling his team level. This draw keeps ‘Gala’ at the top with 22 points, five clear of Trabzonspor. Besiktas, meanwhile, sits in fifth place with 13 points.
João Pereira’s Team Draws Too
In another Turkish league match, João Pereira’s Alanyaspor also played to a draw. They finished 2-2 when visiting Gençlerbirligi. The team led by the Portuguese coach currently holds ninth place in the standings, having collected 10 points.