ANKARA, Dec 20 (AFP) - Istanbul side Fenerbahce led Turkey's championship into its long winter break until January 28 after the best start to a season in the league's history.
Fenerbahce strolled to a 3-0 win over middle-of-the-table Konyaspor over the weekend in their last match of the year with goals from Brazilian duo Alex de Souza and Marcio Nobre and young star Tuncay Sanli, who scored a Champions League hat-trick against Manchester United two weeks ago.
The only teams within striking range had a miserable final weekend.
Colombian keeper Faryd Mondragon helped second-placed Galatasaray escape defeat at the hands of fourth-place Denizlispor in a goalless draw while third-place Trabzonspor drew 1-1 at home with relegation-threatened Istanbulspor.
Serious management problems at Istanbul's Besiktas stayed in the boardroom as the team romped to a 6-1 demolition of Akcaabat Sebatspor -- last in the league with only one win and nine points -- in the last game of 2004.
The goalfest was played before empty stands, the second of three games the Istanbul team must play behind closed doors to pay for stadium violence that saw one young fan stabbed to death in a November 28 match.
Sunday's game was overshadowed by six resignations from the Besiktas board, including club spokesman and television personality Reha Muhtar.
Muhtar resigned over coach Vicente del Bosque, held responsible for their worst start to the season. Newspapers have had the former Real Madrid boss facing the axe several times already this season.
But a recent improvement -- seven wins and two draws -- has lifted Besiktas nine places to fifth.
But they look unlikely to make up a 14-point gap on Fenerbahce and hopes of UEFA Cup success were dashed by last week's 3-2 defeat to lowly Parma -- last but one in the Italian league.
Club President Yildirim Demiroren has been blamed for his autocratic style but the media has unrelentingly pursued del Bosque, who came to Besiktas after winning two Spanish and two European titles in three years with Real.
The avuncular Spaniard is immensely popular with players and fans but has failed to win over the media, who accuse him of still not knowing his players after 30 matches at the helm.
12/20/2004 10:15 GMT - AFP