AMSTERDAM – Jermaine Jones went the distance as Beşiktaş closed the Süper Lig season with a 1-1 draw against visiting Gençlerbirliği that saw them settle for a third-place finish.
The US national team midfielder saw the first great chance of the match, nodding inches over from a corner kick in the 20th minute. Jones, who also drew a yellow card in the game, would later allow Mervan Çelik to slip by him for Gençlerbirliği's equalizer 10 minutes after the break.
Beşiktaş squandered a golden chance to pull ahead in the race for Turkey's only Champions League group-phase berth when Hugo Almeida missed a penalty in the 74th minute. Only minutes later, local Istanbul rivals Galatasaray fired home the winner that secured them second place and relegated the Black Eagles to a third round qualifying invite for next year's Champions League.
Jones will now travel to Palo Alto, California, to join up with the rest of the US squad for their World Cup camp.
