Galatasaray win 21st Turkish title after tense night

Galatasaray won the Turkish Super Lig title for the 21st time after a tense end to the season on Saturday which saw all Istanbul teams chasing the coveted trophy.

The Istanbul club beat Izmir side Goztepe 1-0 away from home to secure the crown after a goal from the penalty spot in the 66th minute by French striker Bafetimbi Gomis.

Galatasaray had not won the title since 2015 after Istanbul rivals Besiktas were champions in 2016 and 2017.

They will now claim Turkey’s sole automatic Champions League spot.

Galatasaray needed a win or a draw in Saturday’s match to win the title with Fenerbahce and Basaksehir playing home games against Konyaspor and Kasimpasa respectively.

Fenerbahce beat Konyaspor 3-2 while fellow city rivals Basaksehir beat Kasimpasa 3-2.

Galatasaray won the league with 75 points, three ahead of Fenerbahce.

Gomis made history by becoming the first foreign player to score the most goals — 29 — during one season, Hurriyet daily reported.

“I am very happy. I broke the goals record,” Gomis was quoted as saying by state news agency Anadolu, but he added: “The championship we have achieved is much more important than my personal statistics.”

Galatasaray’s supporters celebrate their 2017-2018 champion title in Istanbul on May 19, 2018. AFP/OZAN KOSE

Thousands were on the streets across Istanbul celebrating the team’s success wearing red and yellow, and waving Galatasaray flags including excited fans in the popular Taksim Square.

The club’s late season success comes after the return of Turkish football icon dubbed the “Emperor”, Fatih Terim, for his fourth stint as coach in December 2017.

Galatasaray signed a one-and-a-half year contract with Terim for three million euros, and his deal also entitled him to 500,000 euros in bonuses for each season if he takes the league title.

Former national team boss Terim, 64, replaced Croatia’s Igor Tudor who was sacked after just 10 months in charge.

It is Terim’s seventh title with the team after managing Galatasaray during previous stints between 1996-2000, 2002-2004 and 2011-2013.

“We are embracing this championship. I am so happy,” Terim told reporters.