Beşiktaş edges Ankaragücü in thriller to retain Süper Lig top spot
Beşiktaş players celebrate a goal against Ankaragücü, Ankara, Türkiye, Sept. 4, 2022. (AA Photo)


Beşiktaş extended its unbeaten start to the Turkish Süper Lig season on Sunday, beating Ankaragücü 3-2 in a five-goal thriller to retain the top spot.

Host Ankaragücü drew first blood in the action-packed encounter, with Georgian attacker Giorgi Beridze giving it the lead in the 26th minute.

New signing Jackson Muleka equalized four minutes later, before English forward Dele Alli, another new recruit, put Beşiktaş ahead with his first Super Lig strike in the 35th minute.

Berizde was on the mark again two minutes after the break to level the scores.

Beşiktaş clinched the win in the 74th minute as Georges-Kevin Nkoudou tucked away a penalty kick.

The night went from bad to worse for Ankaragücü when defender Marlon Xavier was shown a straight red card in stoppage time.

Beşiktaş remains top of the standings with 13 points, while Ankaragücü is at the bottom with just one point in five games.

Elsewhere on Sunday, southeastern rivals Hatayspor and Adana Demirspor played out a 1-1 stalemate, while Antalyaspor was beaten 0-2 by Istanbul-based side Kasımpaşa.