A goal from midfielder Bilal Kisa has given Galatasaray the lead over Astana at the break in their Champions League clash.
The Turkish side had the first chance of the game, with Wesley Sneijder forcing Nenad Eric into a save with a drive from 25 yards.
Lionel Carole then broke into space down the left flank and teed up Sneijder again, but the midfielder's weak effort was easily gathered by the home goalkeeper.
Astana forced Gala stopper Fernando Muslera into his first save on 14 minutes, as he dived down low to keep out Georgi Zhukov's effort from the edge of the area.
The home side enjoyed more of the ball in the first 30 minutes, but Gala were the more threatening side. Umut Bulut played Carole into space down left, he in turn found Sneijder, but the Dutchman again scuffed his shot at goal.
The Turkish champions began to see more of the ball thereafter and were rewarded when Kisa gave them the lead on 31 minutes. The summer signing from Akhisar Belediyespor let fly with a shot from 30 yards which Eric could not get to, giving the midfielder his first goal for Gala.
Astana pushed forward in search of an equaliser before the break, but it was Galatasaray who almost scored the second through Yasin Oztekin, who shot straight at Eric after being found by Sneijder.
Steven Toplis
