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Galatasaray secured a 1-0 away victory over Besiktas on Saturday in Week 25 of the Turkish Super Lig, with Victor Osimhen scoring the decisive goal in a match overshadowed by controversy surrounding Leroy Sane’s red card.
The derby unfolded largely as a midfield battle during the first half, with both sides struggling to create clear chances. The breakthrough came in the 39th minute when Leroy Sane delivered a cross from the right, and Osimhen converted to give the visitors the lead before halftime.
Galatasaray carried that advantage into the break after a half defined by limited attacking opportunities.
The match shifted in the 62nd minute when Galatasaray were reduced to 10 players after Leroy Sane received a direct red card for a hard challenge on Ridvan Yilmaz in midfield. The dismissal marked the first red card of the German winger’s professional league career.
Despite the setback, Galatasaray held onto its lead. Besiktas pressed for an equalizer until the final whistle, which came after 11 minutes of stoppage time, but goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir denied their attempts and secured the away victory.
Galatasaray coach Okan Buruk also received a yellow card during the match and later criticized the officiating, particularly the length of stoppage time.
"We played with 10 men for 45 minutes, including stoppage time. I thought the match would never end. I even said, 'Let it continue a little longer.' Then they showed me a yellow card, and I was suspended. They gave a funny, simple yellow card," Buruk said.
Besiktas coach Sergen Yalcin also questioned the referee's decisions, arguing that Sane should have been sent off earlier in the first half.
"I do not want to say we lost because of the referee, but there was a red card situation for Sane in the 20th minute. I wonder if there is any referee in the world who would not give a red card for that," Yalcin told reporters.
When asked about Buruk's criticism of the officiating, Yalcin responded, "What is he complaining about? They have been champions for three years, and they are complaining about the referee?"
The derby win helped Galatasaray tighten its grip on the top spot in the league standings.
The yellow-red side picked up their 19th win of the season, reaching 61 points from 25 matches, with four draws and two defeats. The result opened a seven-point gap over second-place Fenerbahce, although Galatasaray has played one game more.
Fenerbahce will host Samsunspor in Kadikoy the following day in their Week 25 fixture.
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