Besiktas and Gencbirligi play to draw

Turkish Spor Toto Super League's ninth week kicked off Friday as Besiktas shared points with Genclerbirligi in an away match at Ankara's 19 Mayis Stadium.

After winning three matches in a row, defending champions Besiktas looked to continue their streak but found a tough opponent waiting for them, as the scoreboard showed 1-1 after 90 minutes.

In the first half, Istanbul's Besiktas fell short of their best performance as Genclerbirligi's 25-year-old forward Serdar Gurler found the net in the 27th minute.

The first half ended with Genclerbirligi up 1-0, but it did not last long, as Besiktas' 22-year-old Portuguese attacking midfielder Anderson Talisca equalized the score at 1-1.

Although it pushed Genclerbirligi to the limit and sought the winning goal in the remaining minutes, Besiktas had to settle for a draw and just only one point out of a possible three.

If Besiktas would have won the match, they would have added another 3 points to their total in the title race.

Along with ending its winning streak, Besiktas also conceded their first goal in four matches.

Besiktas' flamboyant midfielder Talisca found the net for the fourth time in the league campaign, while his teammate, defensive midfielder Necip Uysal, got injured in the 16th minute and had to leave the pitch.

With the result, Besiktas now leads the league with 21 points, but second-place Medipol Basaksehir, with 20 points, will play against Akhisar Belediyespor on Sunday at home.