By Emre Asikci
ISTANBUL (AA) – Besiktas improved their performance after some rocky first weeks of action and claimed the top spot after the first half of the Turkish Super Lig.
Winning 14 matches and losing four, the Black-Eagles are 2 points ahead of second-place Fenerbahce and seek to maintain their run for the rest of the season.
Besiktas only got one victory in the first four league games, but then they enhanced their performance by winning a total of 13 games in the last 16 games.
During the first half, some forwards made a strong impression with their good forms. Cameroonian forward Vincent Aboubakar and Canadian forward Cyle Larin helped their team move to the first spot.
Larin scored 12 goals in 19 games as Aboubakar produced 11 goals in 16 matches for Besiktas, while winning all matches against Istanbul clubs, which are Galatasaray, Fenerbahce, Fatih Karagumruk, Kasimpasa, and Medipol Basaksehir.
Fenerbahce, following Besiktas closely in the league title race, will look to overtake their opponents with their new transfers.
The Yellow-Canaries completed one of the biggest signings of the winter transfer window, acquiring Mesut Ozil from Arsenal.
German player of Turkish descent signed-up with the club for a three-and-a-half-year contract.
In addition to Ozil, Nigerian winger Bright Osayi-Samuel and Hungarian defender Attila Szalai became part of the team during the January transfer period.
Having 42 points, Fenerbahce are currently in second place with 13 wins and four losses.
Another Istanbul side, Galatasaray are the other title contenders along with Fenerbahce.
The Lions increased their attacking options with the signing of two forwards. Nigeria's Henry Onyekuru and Halil Dervisoglu from Turkey moved to the Istanbul club on loan.
Galatasaray are currently in third place with 39 points.
– Week 22 to start with Yeni Malatyaspor vs. Fatih Karagumruk game
Gaziantep FK, currently in the fourth spot, will start the second half with a new manager.
The club hired Ricardo Sa Pinto of Portugal as their new manager after parting ways with the Romanian head coach Marius Sumudica.
The 48-year-old inked a 2.5-year deal with Gaziantep FK.
Reigning champions Medipol Basaksehir completed in the 15th spot with 24 points after a poor performance in the first half.
On Friday, Yeni Malatyaspor will host Fatih Karagumruk at 4 p.m. local time (1300GMT) at Yeni Malatya Stadium in the week 22 opener.
– Matchday 22
Friday:
Yeni Malatyaspor – Fatih Karagumruk
Gaziantep FK – Galatasaray
Saturday:
Kasimpasa – Hes Kablo Kayserispor
Aytemiz Alanyaspor – Demir Grup Sivasspor
Medipol Basaksehir – Atakas Hatayspor
Fenerbahce – Caykur Rizespor
Sunday:
Buyuksehir Belediye Erzurumspor – MKE Ankaragucu
Yukatel Denizlispor – Goztepe
Genclerbirligi – Fraport TAV Antalyaspor
Besiktas – Trabzonspor
