Galatasaray beat Besiktas to top Turkish league

By Fatih Erel

ISTANBUL (AA) - Istanbul football giants Galatasaray defeated Besiktas 2-0 in a derby match and now lead the Turkish top-tier league.

In an Istanbul derby match at home on Sunday, Galatasaray, the Lions defeated their rival Besiktas, the Black Eagles in the title race to lead the league after 22 weeks and before the last three weeks in the season.

In the first half, the Lions' Henry Onyekuru scored the first goal at 44th minute. The first half ended 1-0.

Galatasaray increased the lead to 2-0 at 54th minute by Fernando and the match ended with this score.

Before the match, Medipol Basaksehir were at top while Galatasaray was at second place and Besiktas at third spot.

Basaksehir drew Demir Grup Sivasspor 0-0 in an away match on Friday in the opening game of Week 31 in Turkey's Spor Toto Super Lig.

Three Istanbul clubs -- Basaksehir, Galatasaray, Besiktas -- are still standing in Turkish football league title race.

It is one of the closest title races in the Turkish football league, as Galatasaray have 63 points followed by Basaksehir with same points and Besiktas with 59.

Before the match, the teams carried posters to pay tribute to Czech striker of Turkish football club Alanyaspor Josef Sural, 28, who died in a road accident in the Mediterranean province of Antalya on Monday.