Beşiktaş secures domestic double with Turkish Cup
Beşiktaş players and staff celebrate with the Ziraat Turkish Cup after a 2-0 victory against Antalyaspor at Gürsel Aksel Stadium, Izmir, southwestern Turkey, May 18, 2021 (AA Photo)


Turkish Süper Lig champion Beşiktaş defeated Fraport TAV Antalyaspor 2-0 on Tuesday in the Ziraat Turkish Cup final to complete a domestic double in the 2020-2021 season.

First-half goals from Josef de Souza and Valentin Rosier claimed the Istanbul side's Turkish Cup victory at Izmir's Gürsel Aksel Stadium.

Beşiktaş captured its 10th Turkish Cup in their 16th final.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan congratulated Beşiktaş the victory.

"I wholeheartedly congratulate the Beşiktaş football team and the entire Beşiktaş community on winning the 2021 Ziraat Turkish Cup," he said on Twitter.

After winning the Süper Lig trophy in a nail-biting Saturday evening title race, the Black Eagles secured two domestic cups in four days.

The usual wild celebrations of champions in Turkey's largest city were muted, with the country under lockdown due to a recent surge in coronavirus cases.

However, crowds of fans, many of whom did not wear masks and ignored social distancing rules, filled the streets of the Beşiktaş district and other parts of the country in low-key celebrations.

The victory brought relief to Beşiktaş in what has been otherwise a nervous end to the season, with defeats in its previous two matches.

Beşiktaş last won the Süper Lig title in the 2016-17 season but its fortunes were revived this season under coach Sergen Yalçın, a former star player at the club.