Besiktas boycott resumption of Fenerbahce semi-final

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FenerbahceImage source, Reuters
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Thursday's replay was due to resume on 57 minutes - the time the original game was abandoned for crowd violence

Besiktas kept their word not to turn up to the resumption of their Turkish Cup semi-final second leg at Fenerbahce.

The original match at Fenerbahce's Sukru Saracoglu Stadium was abandoned after 57 minutes when Besiktas coach Senol Gunes was hit on the head by an object thrown from the crowd.

Turkey's Football Federation ruled the game should resume behind closed doors.

Fenerbahce were declared winners, while Besiktas have been banned from next season's competition.

They will also have to pay back the four million Turkish lira (£704,349) they won in prize money from the competition this year.

"Besiktas made a difficult decision. I would have preferred to lose instead of winning this way," said Fenerbahce coach Aykut Kocaman, whose team will play Akhisarspor in the final.

The two Istanbul clubs drew the first leg 2-2 at Besiktas and the second game was 0-0 when it was stopped after Gunes, 65, was struck. He needed five stitches in his head after he was taken to hospital.

Besiktas had tried to overturn the TFF's decision to resume the match, but their appeal was rejected on Wednesday.

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