ANKARAGUCU PAY THE PRICE OF THEIR PROFLIGACY IN THE 1st LEG !!

Greetings Kankas and Kankies.

Ankaragucu made an ignominious exit from the Turkish Cup today in Ankara after losing 5-6 on aggregate.   In 180 minutes they showed only what they are capable of for 45 minutes in the 2^nd half today !

This result cannot be classed as a ‘Cup Fluke’ either.   Bodrum took their chances in the 1^st Leg in Bodrum and in the 1^st half today and fully deserve their moment of glory.   I sincerely hope they make it all the way to the final !!!

As for today, particulary in the 1^st half, this must rank as the worst Ankaragucu performance I’ve ever had the misfortune to watch.   Bodrum were first to the ball, winning most of the tackles and 50.50 balls.   Ankaragucu was clueless and the defence is a shambles ......... uneffinbelievable at times !!!    However, at least their heads didn’t go down and they made the last 10 minutes of the match a nail-biting finale !

ANKARAGUCU     3           Bodrumspor      2

Team – Korcan, Erdem S, Alihan, Heurtaux, Mehmet S, Faty, Mahmut, Cerci, Mokhtar, Kubilay and Kehinde.

Substitutes – El-Kabir, Ilhan and Sedat

There were a few near things before Ankaragucu finally opened the scoring.   Kubilay had a fierce shot well saved and Mokhtar should have done better with his effort on the 15 minute mark.    The breakthrough finally arrived after 22 minutes when Kehinde was pushed from behind in the box while trying to cross the ball.   Cerci took responsibility for the penalty and scored with a shot to the right with the goalkeeper guessing the wrong direction.

                                                                 

Will the floodgates now open and Ankaragucu put the match to bed I was thinking ?     Ahemmmm ...... cough cough ........... NO !

6 minutes later it was 1-1 after a poor clearance by Korcan wasn’t dealt with and the ball was played out to the left and swung into the right where Cem was allowed total freedom to slot it in with Mahmut in his wake caught out of position.

It was almost another for Bodrum on the half hour mark when the ball was finally cleared for a corner with the Ankaragucu defence all at sea !

However, it only took another 4 minutes for Bodrum to score their 2^nd when Orhan, with THREE defenders around him, struck an excellent shot to Korcan’s left giving him no chance.

Bodrum almost made it 3 just before the half time whistle but the ball was scrambled back to Korcan with a deflection.

Ankaragucu started the 2^nd half with more purpose, but Bodrum was still looking dangerous on the break and I felt the Ankaragucu defence still had the jitters !

Cerci, who had an excellent match today, almost scored the equaliser in the 60^th minute when he received a headed pass from Kehinde, but his shot hit the post and was cleared.

From the goalkeeper’s clearance, Bodrum almost scored when they broke at speed cutting holes in the Ankaragucu defence but the final shot went narrowly past the post.

Cerci was causing the Bodrum defence on the left lots of problems and he almost scored 2 minutes later when his shot on the right went past the left post.   Then one minute later he crossed for Kehinde to head just over.

One minute later, and after Mehmet gave the ball away needlessly, Korcan had to be smart to save after another Bodrum breakaway.

I have to say that the Ankaragucu equaliser came as a surprise with the match raging from end to end, but what a goal it was.   Faty crossed from the right and Kehinde met it and powered in a shot with the goalkeeper grasping air.

I still didn’t hold out much hope at this stage of the match, but then 3 minutes later with 15 minutes remaining came the goal to set the stage for a rousing finale.   Ilhan was brought down unceremoniously in the box and Cerci fired in another perfect penalty to the left.

It was all Ankaragucu now with Bodrum hanging on to their one goal lead like grim death.   El-Kabir almost found the goal when his shot was only parried by the goalkeeper and it flopped just past the post for a corner.

Into the last minute and from a Cerci free kick on the right, Faty headed over when well placed to score.   Then in time added on, Sedat blasted over when ideally placed to score.

So, like I said at the beginning, all credit to Bodrum for seeing out the two legs and taking their chances in the 1^st leg in Bodrum.    Ankaragucu can have no complaints about their exit from the Cup !

What now ????

Back to the drawing board for the temporary Coach to try and salvage something from the league match on Saturday against Goztepe.    I don’t envy his task !!!

All the best from Eski Kanka Jim