Leader Beşiktaş handed first defeat of season

KAYSERİ

Kayseri Erciyesspor coach Bülent Korkmaz (R), a former Galatasaray defender, celebrates after the victory.

Turkey’s Spor Toto Super League leader Beşiktaş suffered its first defeat in the Spor Toto Super League on Oct. 27 at the hands of Kayseri Erciyesspor.

Beşiktaş appeared to lose its offensive rhythm at the start of the second half and John Boye took advantage of it in the 54th minute with a header from Anıl Karaer’s free-kick that put the home side in front.

Things looked even gloomier for Beşiktaş when Gökhan Töre was sent off in the 67th minute, but the 10-man Black Eagles refused to surrender and battled tirelessly for the equalizer.

Their pressure paid off after 70 minutes when substitute Kerim Frei found the bottom corner of the net with a low effort inside the box, levelling matters at 1-1.

Five minutes before full-time, he seized upon a rebound from the home side’s goalkeeper to make it 2-1 for Beşiktaş, but Erciyesspor’s Portuguese central forward Edinho upset the apple cart to make it 2-2 in the 89th minute of play. In the frenetic dying minutes of the game, Cenk Ahmet Kılıç then scored the winner for Erciyesspor to give his side its first victory of the season.

The result marked the first league defeat of the season for Beşiktaş, but the Istanbul club remains leader in the standings with 14 points.
Töre will be suspended for the crucial derby match against Fenerbahçe next weekend.