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ISTANBUL. — Turkish football faced new questions over the credibility of the game yesterday after an anarchic clash between Galatasaray and Trabzonspor ended with just seven footballers from the Black Sea side on the pitch and one of its players showing the referee the red card.

The Sunday night Super Lig clash between Galatasaray of Istanbul and Trabzonspor of Trabzon — one of the most venomous rivalries in the Turkish game — was marked by a litany of penalties, ill discipline and poor refereeing.

Trabzonspor had already had two players sent off by referee Deniz Ates Bitnel when Belgian defender Luis Cavanda was deemed to have brought down Umut Bulut in the penalty box in the 86th minute and was himself dismissed.

Trabzonspor players remonstrated with the referee and in the fracas Trabzonspor defender Salih Dursun pinched the referee’s card red and brandished it in front of Bitnel.

Bitnel then recovered the card, using it to send Dursun off and Selcuk Inan stepped up to score the penalty, winning the game 2-1 to Galatasaray.

“There are messages from all over Turkey, saying ‘we are ashamed’” Trabzonspor chairman Muharrem Usta said after the game.

“Tonight, Salih Dursun showed the red card to Turkish football.

“This is not a symbol of rebellion. It is a symbol of rebirth,” he added. — AFP.