Title contenders Beşiktaş beat 9-man Gençlerbirliği

Turkish football league title contenders Beşiktaş defeated Gençlerbirliği 4-1 Friday to end the first half of the season.

In the opening match of the last week of the first half, Beşiktaş had a comfortable win against a nine-man Gençlerbirliği team at home in Istanbul.

Gençlerbirliği were down to two men after Nadir Çiftçi received a red card in minute 12 and Yasin Pehlivan was sent off in minute 35.

The opening goal came from Gençlerbirliği in the 24 minute but Beşiktaş responded in the 49 minute by Domagoj Vida, Georges-Kevin N'Koudou in the 60 minute, Oğuzhan Özyakup in the 74 minute and Atiba Hutchinson in the last minute.

Beşiktaş is currently in the third place with 30 points.

The Turkish top-tier football league's first half of 2019-20 season will end with weekend matches.

Sivasspor will finish the first half at top in the Super Lig as it will go into matchday 17 with 34 points, four points ahead of runners-up Medipol Başakşehir.

Demir Grup Sivasspor are guaranteed to finish 2019 at the top of the table in the Turkish Super Lig.

The team will face Göztepe on Sunday while Başakşehir will take on Kasımpaşa in Istanbul on Saturday.

Başakşehir is currently in the second spot with 30 points, followed by Trabzonspor with 29 points.

Trabzonspor will face Istikbal Mobilya Kayserispor on Saturday while Çaykur Rizespor will take on Fenerbahçe on Sunday.

Fenerbahçe collected 28 points, enough for fourth place after it beat Beşiktaş 3-1 in an Istanbul derby match last Sunday.

Reigning champions Galatasaray fell away in the title race and moved to the seventh spot with 24 points.

Galatasaray will host Antalyaspor at home in Istanbul on Saturday.