Istanbul hosted another electrifying chapter of the classic rivalry between Galatasaray and Besiktas, which finished in a 1-1 draw on Matchday 8 of the Trendyol Süper Lig. The game was defined by Davinson Sánchez’s first-half red card and İlkay Gündoğan’s second-half equalizer, which saved the league leaders from defeat ahead of the international break.

Abraham Strikes First, Sánchez Sees Red

The match began at a high tempo, and it was Tammy Abraham who opened the scoring in the 12th minute. The English striker capitalized on a rebound inside the box after an initial shot from Orkun Kökçü, beating Uğurcan Çakır to give Besiktas an early lead.

Things quickly took a turn for Galatasaray in the 34th minute when Davinson Sánchez was sent off for a foul on Rafa Silva, who was through on goal. The red card left the home side with ten men for more than an hour, drastically changing the flow of the derby.

Gündoğan Saves the Leaders

Despite being a man down, Galatasaray showed resilience in the second half. In the 55th minute, high pressure from Lucas Torreira forced a mistake in Besiktas’ buildup, allowing İlkay Gündoğan to collect the ball inside the area and finish clinically to make it 1-1.

The remainder of the match was wide open, with chances for both teams. Rafa Silva had a clear opportunity in the 74th minute but missed the target, while Cengiz Ünder forced an excellent save from Çakır late in the game to keep the score level.

With this result, Galatasaray move to 22 points and remain at the top of the table heading into the break, while Besiktas climb to 13 points and stay in mid-table. The draw also ended Galatasaray’s impressive 15-match winning streak in the league.

What’s Next

After the international break, Galatasaray will visit Rams Başakşehir, while Besiktas will host Gençlerbirliği in Istanbul. Both clubs will look to bounce back with victories in what promises to be a fiercely contested season in Turkish football.