Galatasaray go top of Süper Lig as Fenerbahçe score eight before derby week

Six clubs are separated by just three points at the top of Türkiye's Süper Lig after a week in which Beşiktaş lost first place, Galatasaray moved ahead and defending champions Fenerbahçe responded to a European defeat with eight goals. Galatasaray lead the table, but Fenerbahçe are two points behind with two games in hand, and the two sides meet next.

Galatasaray take top spot

Galatasaray were minutes away from taking maximum points from their midweek trip to Yüksekova. They led through a 57th-minute goal but conceded a late penalty for handball, which their players disputed, and the match finished 1–1. Their response came in the other midweek fixture against Ünye. Galatasaray opened the scoring from the penalty spot and conceded an equaliser in the 27th minute, before Melike Pekel restored the lead with her fifth goal of the season. Cristina Martín-Prieto headed in a third in first-half stoppage time, taking her league-leading tally to 16 goals and sealing a 3–1 win that put Galatasaray on 21 points.

Fenerbahçe's European setback

Fenerbahçe lost 2–0 to Real Sociedad in the first leg of the UEFA Women's Europa Cup in San Sebastián. Andrea Stašková had chances in that match, including a goal that was flagged offside in the 14th minute and a run behind the defence later on that was saved by the goalkeeper. Maren Lezeta headed Real Sociedad ahead from a corner, and Ainhoa Marín doubled their lead. Maria Alves was sent off late on. To progress, Gökhan Bozkaya's side must win the November 11 return by two goals to force extra time, or by three or more to go through outright.

Eight goals at Giresun

Bozkaya had little preparation time for the domestic fixture between the European legs. His squad flew back on Thursday, trained lightly on Friday and travelled to Giresun on Saturday. He changed seven starters. Giresun also fielded an altered side, with several new signings after a transfer ban was lifted, and they kept the champions out for 45 minutes. Stašková then converted a 49th-minute penalty. Mesude Alayont came on in the 61st minute and almost immediately headed in Zsanett Kaján's corner. She completed a hat-trick with a long-range strike in the 87th minute, and Stašková added a second of her own. All eight goals came after the interval.

Beşiktaş and the chasing pack

Beşiktaş had entered the midweek fixtures as leaders, having scored 19 goals and conceded five in seven matches. Successive 0–0 draws against Hakkarigücü and Trabzonspor left their totals unchanged, and two points from six allowed Galatasaray to move ahead. Hakkarigücü followed their midweek point in Istanbul with a 2–0 weekend win over Şile and ended the week three points off the lead. FOMGET also kept pace, with two wins and 16 unanswered goals, including a 12–0 win at Şile and a 4–0 win over Antalyaspor. Armisa Kuč scored twice against Antalyaspor and is second in the scoring charts with 15 goals, one behind Martín-Prieto.

Lower in the table

Antalyaspor, who had recovered from 3–0 down at half-time to draw 3–3 with Sultanbeyli in their previous match, lost 1–0 to the visitors from the capital, who scored in the 64th minute. Amed, second after four rounds with nine points, have since lost five consecutive matches and remain on nine. Promoted Kayseri reached 12 points from eight matches with a 2–1 win over Haymana, with Laurie-Ann Moïse's six league goals helping them establish their position. Fenerbahçe's eight-goal response showed the value of their squad depth, but the next two matches, against Galatasaray and Real Sociedad, will be a much sterner test.