Top teams at critical turning point in Turkish league

By Satuk Bugra Kutlugun

ANKARA

With only three matches left in Turkey's Spor Toto Super Lig race, leaders Besiktas have a chance to bolster their lead ahead of Medipol Basaksehir.

Leading the league in much of the season, Istanbul clubs Basaksehir and Besiktas are at a critical turning point in the league's Round 32 matches over the weekend.

Besiktas, who defeated Bursaspor 2-0 last weekend, will face Kasimpasa at home at 7 p.m. local time (1600GMT) on Saturday.

Basaksehir, on the other hand, will face a tough challenge in an away game against Trabzonspor at 7 p.m. on Sunday. Title-chasing Basaksehir defeated Fenerbahce in a penalty-shootout on Wednesday evening in Turkish Ziraat Cup and advanced to the final.

Basaksehir will face Konyaspor in the cup final, which will be played on May 31.

The action in the league will start Friday at 8 p.m. local time (1700GMT) in Istanbul, when fourth-placed Galatasaray take on Osmanlispor, who are standing at 13th spot.

On Saturday, 16th-placed Caykur Rizespor will face 17th-placed Gaziantepspor at home. The match will seal the relegation fate of at least one of the clubs.

Also on Saturday, 15th-placed Bursaspor will face Antalyaspor in an away game. The latter defeated Fenerbahce in Istanbul last weekend. A point will save Bursaspor from relegation.

On Monday, Fenerbahce will go to Ankara to take on Genclerbirligi at 7 p.m., while Akhisar Belediyespor will square off against Alanyaspor at the same time.

Here is the full schedule for Round 32: (all times local)

Friday:

8 p.m. Galatasaray - Osmanlispor

Saturday:

1.30 p.m. Caykur Rizespor - Gaziantepspor

4 p.m. Kayserispor - Adanaspor

7 p.m. Antalyaspor - Bursaspor

7 p.m. Besiktas - Kasimpasa

Sunday:

4 p.m. Atiker Konyaspor - Kardemir Karabukspor

7 p.m. Trabzonspor - Medipol Basaksehir

Monday:

8 p.m. Genclerbirligi - Fenerbahce

8 p.m. Akhisar Belediyespor - Aytemiz Alanyaspor

Standings as of 9 a.m. (0600GMT) on Friday:

	Teams	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	+/-	Pts.
1.	Besiktas	31	20	8	3	61	29	32	68
2.	Medipol Basaksehir	31	19	9	3	60	27	33	66
3.	Fenerbahce	31	16	9	6	54	29	25	57
4.	Galatasaray	31	17	4	10	58	37	21	55
5.	Trabzonspor	31	14	7	10	37	31	6	49
6.	Antalyaspor	31	14	7	10	38	38	0	49
7.	Kasimpasa	31	12	7	12	45	42	3	43
8.	Akhisar Bld.	31	12	6	13	38	39	-1	42
9.	Genclerbirligi	31	10	10	11	29	31	-2	40
10.	Atiker Konyaspor	31	10	10	11	36	40	-4	40
11.	Aytemiz Alanyaspor	31	12	4	15	52	58	-6	40
12.	Karabukspor	31	11	6	14	33	41	-8	39
13.	Osmanlispor	31	9	11	11	36	37	-1	38
14.	Kayserispor	31	10	6	15	44	54	-10	36
15.	Bursaspor	31	10	5	16	30	53	-23	35
16.	Caykur Rizespor	31	7	6	18	39	52	-13	27
17.	Gaziantepspor	31	7	5	19	29	55	-26	26
18.	Adanaspor	31	6	6	19	30	56	-26	24