Besiktas win critical league match but lose Cenk Tosun

By Can Erozden

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish Super Lig club Besiktas earned a crucial 4-2 victory against Buyuksehir Belediye Erzurumspor on Sunday to extend their lead at the top of the league.

Besiktas returned to Istanbul with three points, but the team was saddened over an incident involving their Turkish forward Cenk Tosun, who suffered a serious knee injury in the away game.

The Black Eagles' Canadian forward Cyle Larin scored the opener in the ninth minute at the Kazim Karabekir Stadium in the eastern province of Erzurum.

Erzurumspor netted the equalizer seven minutes later. French left back Leo Schwechlen beat Besiktas goalie Ersin Destanoglu with a header.

Besiktas took the lead again in the 26th minute as Turkish midfielder Oguzhan Ozyakup fired with his right foot in the area. Erzurumspor's Polish goalkeeper Jakub Szumski was unable to parry Ozyakup's low shot.

In the 39th minute, the home team's Turkish winger Emrah Bassan pulled level with a vicious strike outside the area, making it 2-2. Besiktas' Destanoglu tried to catch the ball but fumbled it, a big mistake for the 20-year-old goalkeeper.

Besiktas' Algerian star Rachid Ghezzal scored a classy goal to make it 3-2 for the Black Eagles in the 66th minute. His shot outside the penalty box beat Szumski.

Near the end of the match, Turkish winger Gokhan Tore made the result 4-2 for Besiktas as the 29-year-old scored on a counterattack. Tore's low shot hit the far post to go inside.

Following the victory, league leaders Besiktas have 70 points in 32 matches.

Second-place Fenerbahce have racked up 63 points. They will host Gaziantep at Ulker Stadium on Monday.

Third-place Galatasaray have 62 points in 32 weeks.

- Turkish forward Tosun faces injury trouble

Tosun, who was loaned from England's Everton in February, had to leave the pitch in the second half due to a knee injury.

Besiktas manager Sergen Yalcin said in a post-match conference that Tosun suffered a "serious injury and was out for the remainder of the season. Perhaps we cannot see him on the pitch for 5-6 months."

Tosun was taken in a private plane back to Istanbul after the match.

The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) wished him a quick recovery.

- Results:

Atakas Hatayspor - Goztepe: 2-3

Caykur Rizespor - Trabzonspor: 0-0

Galatasaray - Fatih Karagumruk: 1-1

Demir Grup Sivasspor - Ittifak Holding Konyaspor: 3-1

MKE Ankaragucu - Genclerbirligi: 2-1

Hes Kablo Kayserispor - Fraport TAV Antalyaspor: 0-1

Buyuksehir Belediye Erzurumspor - Besiktas: 2-4