Football: Second half of Turkish Super Lig begins

By Can Erozden

ANKARA

The second half of the season in Turkey's top-tier football division, the Super Lig, will begin on Friday.

Kasimpasa and Aytemiz Alanyaspor will open the season on Friday evening at Recep Tayyip Erdogan Stadium in Istanbul at 8 p.m local time (1700GMT).

Fenerbahce will host Goztepe in Istanbul on Saturday evening. The match at Ulker Stadium will kick off at 7.00 p.m local time (1600GMT).

Fenerbahce currently spot with 33 points.

Super Lig leaders Medipol Basaksehir - having 36 points - will meet Bursaspor in an away match on Sunday. Medipol Basaksehir's new transfer from Barcelona, Arda Turan - playing as a left winger - can make debut for his new team.

The match in Bursa will kick off at 4.00 p.m local time (1300GMT).

Last year's league winners Besiktas will play against Antalyaspor on Sunday evening. Besiktas' mid-season signing Croatian center back Domagoj Vida is set to make his debut. The match at Antalya Stadium will start at 7.00 p.m local time (1600GMT).

Besiktas are spot with 30 points.

The other title contenders Galatasaray will play an away game against Kayserispor on Monday evening.

Galatasaray second with 35 points.

The match in Kayseri will begin at 8.00 p.m local time (1700GMT).

Below is the schedule for the Super Lig's 18th match week.

Friday:

Kasimpasa-Aytemiz Alanyaspor (1700GMT)

Saturday:

Kardemir Karabukspor-Genclerbirligi (1030GMT)

Osmanlispor-Evkur Yeni Malatyaspor (1300GMT)

Fenerbahce-Goztepe (1600GMT)

Sunday:

Demir Grup Sivasspor-Teleset Mobilya Akhisarspor (1030GMT)

Atiker Konyaspor-Trabzonspor (1030GMT)

Bursaspor-Medipol Basaksehir (1300GMT)

Antalyaspor-Besiktas (1600GMT)

Monday:

Kayserispor-Galatasaray (1700GMT)

Super Lig standings: