Galatasaray Ends Beşiktaş's 18-Game Unbeaten Run in Controversial Istanbul Derby

 

Galatasaray Ends Beşiktaş's 18-Game Unbeaten Run in Controversial Istanbul Derby

Beşiktaş’s impressive 18-game unbeaten streak across all competitions came to a halt following a 1-0 defeat to local rivals Galatasaray in the 25th week of the Süper Lig. The decisive goal was headed in by Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen. The match was highly contentious, overshadowed by refereeing decisions that drew significant criticism from the Beşiktaş camp.

Beşiktaş Vice-President Hakan Daltaban and Head Coach Sergen Yalçın openly protested the referee's decision not to issue a red card to Osimhen during the match. The frustration was compounded by the dismissal of Galatasaray's Leroy Sané, and Beşiktaş later released a late-night official statement regarding the officiating standards. Player performances were also heavily scrutinized, with South Korean forward Oh Hyeon-gyu notably failing to register an effective shot on target during the fixture. Meanwhile, the victory allows Galatasaray to extend their lead at the top of the table ahead of their upcoming Champions League clash with Liverpool.

Sources:

• [Yahoo Sports: Galatasaray: Victor Osimhen scores his 18th goal of the season]

• [Daily Post Nigeria: Beşiktaş chief blasts referee after Osimhen escapes red in Istanbul derby]

• [The Guardian Nigeria: Super Eagles Euro Round-Up: Osimhen ends Beşiktaş' 18-game unbeaten run]

• [Premium Times: Osimhen should have been sent off in Istanbul derby - Yalçın]

• [Africa Soccer: Victor Osimhen strikes as ten-man Galatasaray hold off Beşiktaş]

• [chosun.com: Oh Hyeon-gyu's 0 Effective Shots as Beşiktaş Loses Istanbul Derby]