Thousands take to the streets as Istanbul club clinches domestic honors for the first time since 2009
There were ecstatic scenes around Istanbul and Turkey as Besiktaş clinched the 2015-2016 Super Lig title with an emphatic 3-1 home win over Osmanlıspor.
Thousands of Besiktaş fans thronged the newly refurbished Inonu Stadium (now the Vodafone Arena) overlooking Istanbul's Dolmabahce Palace by the banks of the Bosphorus.
Cheering crowds decked out in the club's black and white colors took to the streets around the stadium and in other major cities across Turkey including Gaziantep, Izmir, Kayseri and the capital, Ankara.
To get the party started, Besiktas' Brazilian defender Marcelo scored two consecutive goals in the first half. The home side's German star Mario Gomez scored the third in the 48th minute, sending thousands of Black Eagles fans at home and abroad into raptures.
The visitors' Cameroonian striker Pierre Webo pulled back a consolation goal towards the end of the match, but it was too little, too late to stop manager Şenol Güneş' men.
Besiktaş clinched the Super Lig title with 79 points and with a match to spare. The other title contenders, Istanbul rivals Fenerbahçe, are in second place with 73 points.
The win is the Besiktaş' 14th league title in total. They last topped the table in 2009.
The Black Eagles now directly qualify for next season's UEFA Champions League group stage.
But, for now, thoughts of Europe are far away as the streets of Istanbul become a riot of color and noise to welcome Besiktaş – the new champions of Turkey.
