ANKARAGUCU – AT LAAASSST !!!

 

 

Greetings Kankas and Kankies.

 

After 6 matches in, Ankaragucu finally opened their account with a first win of the season   !!

 

The 3 points takes Ankaragucu off the bottom position, but they still remain in the relegation zone.    I suppose we must be grateful for small mercies   !!

 

It was a well deserved victory last night which should give the team much needed confidence for the season ahead.

 

Team – Gokhan, Oguz, Uros, Nihad, Marlon, Tolga, Taylan, Emre, Pedrinho, Giorgi and Ali Sowe

 

Substitutes – Ariyibi, Zahid, Jese, Kevin and Frederico

 

With a Stadium Ban for Ankaragucu supporters as punishment for the problems caused at the Besiktas match a few weeks ago, the kankas watched the match in The Bira Park Bar.    The Round Ball in Ankara Founding Father, Oz Kanka Chris, was present together with a host of kankas to celebrate his visit to Ankara on holiday.    Battle Damaged Kanka Damon, Posh Kanka Ahmet, Kaleci Kanka Tansu.     Also, Gencler Kankas Spine Steve, Emin and his brother Ergul and Murat.

 

The match exploded into life in the 1^st minute when Ankaragucu caught Sivas cold.    A cross from the right to the left of centre in the box to Giorgi who took the ball under control, drove into the centre of the box evading 2 attempted tackles, and sent his shot inside the right post.

 

What a start   !!!

 

Shortly after that Pedrinho took a free kick just outside the box on the left and his goal bound effort was tipped over the bar by the goalkeeper for  a corner.

 

20 minutes in, and at the other end, Gokhan made a great save from a corner on the left when he saved at the near post.

 

6 minutes later and another long range shot from Pedrinho was well saved.

 

Approaching half time and Ankaragucu scored the 2^nd with Giorgi involved again.     Ankaragucu made a fast attack on the left and the ball was sent into the box which was met by Giorgi who’s shot was parried by the goalkeeper.     But, Ali was following up and stroked in off the post.

 

Into time added on in the 1^st half and from a corner on the right Charisis of Sivas scored via a deflection off a defender which deceived Gokhan.      However, the referee was informed via VAR that there was an offside in the build up and the goal was rightly chalked off   !!!

 

The 2^nd half was only 2 minutes old when it was the turn of Sivas to catch Ankaragucu cold   !!   They attacked through the centre and a pass was made to N’jie who shot and scored inside the right post.    In my opinion, there was a hint of offside, but the referee obviously didn’t receive a message on VAR.

 

It was end to end as Sivas searched for the equaliser, but Ankaragucu almost made it 3 in the 62^nd minute when Ali was put through.    He passed to his right to Emre but his shot was blocked for a corner.

 

In the closing minutes, Ankaragucu lived dangerously as they ran the clock down and Sivas attacked relentlessly searching for the equaliser.    However, the defence stood up and it was a relief when the final whistle was blown   !!

 

This was a vital win for Ankaragucu to prevent the team from languishing at the bottom of the league.     However, there will be no time for complacency with even bigger obstacles in the way as we enter autumn.

 

There is an international break next weekend which will give Omer Bey more time to work with the new arrivals and prepare for the visit of undefeated Istanbul Basaksehir on Saturday 1^st October.

 

I’m sure that Omer Bey will have the team fired-up for another crucial match  !

 

All the best from Eski Kanka Jim

GENCLERBIRLIGI – HONOURS SHARED !

 

 

Greetings Kankas and Kankies.

 

Gencler is well aware by now that there is no room for complacency in The Championship League, with Denizli no exception.

 

Denizli dominated the 1^st half for the most part and was unlucky to go in at half time only one goal ahead.

 

However, encouraged by their equaliser early in the 2^nd half it was a different story when Gencler started to take control of the match and put Denizli under pressure.

 

Perhaps on reflection, it was a fair result in a fast and entertaining match   !

 

Denizlispor             2                   GENCLERBIRLIGI               2

 

Team – Adiyaman, Abdullah, Gokhan, Mert, Musa, Hrechyshkin, Aksel, Serdarcan, Ahmet, Baris and Ilker

 

Substitutes – Byelyayev, Altiparmak and Seyit

 

The match was only 5 minutes old when Denizli took the lead.    A fast break on the right and the cross to the centre just inside the box and Omer first timed the ball inside the left post.

 

5 minutes later and a controversial decision by the referee.    Baris was adjudged to have been impeded by Mustafa inside the box, and after protests by the Gencler players, he consulted VAR and gave the penalty.    I have to say that I wouldn’t have given it because Mustafa’s eyes were on the ball when he and Baris collided.    Obviously the referee decided otherwise   !!!    Anyway, Ilker stepped up and sent the ball inside the right post with the goalkeeper diving in the opposite direction.

 

10 minutes later and Denizli was back in front and the goal proved that persistence pays off   !!       A corner on the left was sent into the box and cleared to the right where it was sent back  into the box and cleared again to the left.     Back it went into the box and the shot was saved by Adiyaman, but only parried to the unmarked Oguz who fired the ball in with Adiyaman unable to save a 2^nd time   !

 

On the half hour mark it was almost 3 for Denizli but 2 shots in succession hit opposite posts and the ball was cleared.

 

The equaliser came 10 minutes into the 2^nd half when Gencler was awarded a free kick in the centre just outside the box.    The attempt was barged down by the wall and the rebound stroked inside the right post by Gokhan.

 

Gencler took encouragement from this goal and pressed forward in search of the winner, but despite 2 great chances near the end which were expertly saved by the goalkeeper, they had to settle for a share of the spoils.

 

Gencler’s renowned fighting spirit is never in doubt and this will stand them in good stead for the difficult fixtures ahead.

 

However, Gencler is still in the bottom half of the league and still only 3 points above the relegation zone.

 

There is no league football next weekend, so Gencler’s next match is away to fellow strugglers Samsun on Saturday 8^th of October.

 

Similar to the Denizli fixture, not an easy stadium in which to pick-up points.

 

As always, watch this space for the outcome.

 

All the best from Eski Kanka Jim

GENCLERBIRLIGI FLIRTING WITH THE RELEGATION ZONE ........AGAIN !!

 

 

Greetings Kankas and Kankies.

 

Five matches into the season and Gencler is making life difficult for themselves again having won only one, lost two and drawn two.

 

Of course, it is early days, but the signs are not encouraging for Gencler as they slide down the league and find themselves only 3 points above the relegation zone.

 

They didn’t help themselves in last night’s match against Tuzla by having to play for most of the 2^nd half with 10 men, having lost Metehan for a needless foul 5 minutes into the 2^nd half   !!

 

GENCLERBIRLIGI           1                     Tuzlaspor                2

 

Team (which hasn’t changed since the beginning of the season) .........

 

Adiyaman, Metehan, Gokhan, Mert K, Musa, Hrechyshkin, Baris, Aksel, Serdarcan, Ahmet and Ilker

 

Substitutes -  Altiparmak, Byelyayev and Sahindere

 

Nothing to report in a fairly even 1^st half with neither goalkeeper seriously troubled.    Gencler looked the likelier team and the Tuzla defence looked a little laboured at times, especially dealing with the speed of Baris and Ahmet.

 

5 minutes into the 2^nd half and Metehan received a straight RED card for barging into Adeniyi and bringing him down just outside the box as he was shaping up to shoot.    The resulting free kick hit the side netting on the wrong side   !

 

Tuzla piled on the pressure and Gencler was on the back foot.  However, Tuzla’s attacking play finally bore fruit in the 70^th minute.  A fast attack on the left, the cross into the box which was met first time by Yahaya to send his shot inside the right post.

 

10 minutes to go until the final whistle and the pace of the match increased as Gencler woke-up and searched for the equaliser whilst Tuzla attempted to slow the match down and run the clock down   !

 

Into the 87^th minute and Gencler won a free kick outside the box on the right.    Hrechyshkin sent over a cross to the back post which was met by Gokhan who powered in an unstoppable header for the equaliser.

 

Game over and a share of the spoils   ?        So I thought   !!!        However .........

 

90 plus 5 and a final attack by Tuzla down the right.      The cross came in and Adeniyi stole in between 2 defenders to head in for the winner with Adiyaman helpless.

 

Now ........ game over   !!!

 

Next up for Gencler is an away match in Denizli on Saturday 17 September.      Denizli have yet to win a match, so it is destined to be a tense encounter, and as we all know from past experience, Denizli is never an easy venue to visit and expect 3 points   !

 

 As always, watch this space for the outcome.

 

All the best from Eski Kanka Jim

ANKARAGUCU - STILL SEARCHING !!

 

 

Greetings Kankas and Kankies.

 

Ankaragucu is still searching for their first elusive win of the season despite scoring the goal of the match last night.

 

Five matches into the season and Ankaragucu is propping up the league with a miserable one point   !!      There is no doubting their endeavours, but it is quite obvious that the team is still a work in progress, and Omer Bey needs to find a way for the team to start winning to build confidence for even more difficult fixtures in the coming months.

 

Being involved in a relegation dog-fight in the 2^nd half of the season is not on the Club’s agenda   !!

 

Alanyaspor               2                        ANKARAGUCU            1

 

Team – Bahadir, Yasin, Atakan, Oguz, Mujakic, Tolga, Pedrinho, Beridze, Taylan, Ariyibi and Ali Sowe

 

Substitutes – Emre K, Taso, Zahid and Diack

 

The match was goalless at half time with both teams scorning goal scoring chances.

 

Ariyibi should have opened the scoring on the half hour mark when he was put through in the centre of the box, but under pressure from a defender, he shot past the right post.

 

Then in time added on, another fast break by Ankaragucu with Ariyibi involved again.    He sent over an accurate cross on the right into the box only for Beridze to sky his shot well over the bar.

 

Prior to that, Bahadir made an excellent save to stop a goal bound shot heading into the top left.

 

Half way through the 2^nd half and I was thinking that the match was heading for a stalemate despite the fact that both teams were attacking and searching for the break through.    Then, Ankaragucu’s old defensive frailties re-surfaced   !!

 

A fast attack on the left by Alanya and the cross which came into the box was headed clear to the right goal line which looked like the ball was going out of play.    However, an Alanya attacker thought otherwise and chased what looked like a lost cause and crossed the ball back into the box before it went out of play.   Hassan, surrounded by FIVE Ankaragucu defenders rose above those in close proximity and sent a powerful header inside the left post.

 

Ominous looks between the kankas – Harun, Damon, New Kanka Kemal and I   !!!

 

However, heads didn’t go down and 2 minutes later it was all square again when Tolga sent an inviting cross into the box where Yasin nicked the ball from an attempted tackle and flicked it with the outside of his left boot over the heads of the defenders and goalkeeper for a well executed goal.   !

 

Did this herald a search for the winning goal   ?      Yes, Ankaragucu attacked but couldn’t find it   !

 

With only 3 minutes to go to the final whistle Alanya found it and in so doing robbed Ankaragucu of the one point their play had deserved.       But, as we all know, what really counts is putting the round thingie between the sticks.   !!!

 

A cross was sent over from the left to the far post where Bekiroglu was lurking unmarked.    His shot, on the half volley, was sent inside the right post off the turf which in all probability deceived Bahadir.     That said, the general consensus of opinion among the kankas was that he should have saved it. 

 

Harun and Damon are adamant that he will be dropped for the match next weekend, but I hesitate to be critical of him.    Yes, of course, goalkeepers make mistakes like everyone else, but I think he deserves to have a solid defence in front of him.    Sadly, this is not the case at the moment and I’m sure Omer Bey is well aware of it   !!!

 

Next up for Ankaragucu is a home match against fellow strugglers Sivas who are also still searching for their first win of the season.     Ankaragucu has a Stadium Ban arising out of the problems during last week’s match against Besiktas.     So, it will be back to The Kanka Suite in The Bira Park Bar next Sunday 18 September KO 8pm.

 

As always, watch this space for the outcome.

 

All the best from Eski Kanka Jim

Ankargucu 2-3 Besiktas - Match report!

 

Before the start of last nights game i didnt have much expectations due to how Ankaragucu have started the season compared to Besiktas. Omer Erdogan took charge of his first match, and despite having less than a week to prepare, showed some encouraging signs despite the loss. 

Team - Bahadir, Oguz, Mujakic, Atakan, Marlon, Tolga, Zahid, Pedrinho, Ariyibi, Beridze, Macheda

Subs - Nurullah, Firatcan, Diack, Eren, Sinan, Yasin, Abdullah, Sahverdi, Tasos, Jese

Ankaragucu fans snapped up every ticket for the sold out 21,000 Eryaman stadium, and what a noise they made even hours before kick off. 

Straight from kick off you could see the difference in Ankaragucu play with the high press and work ethic all across the park. Besiktas started on the front foot, but the Ankaragucu players were giving them no time on the ball. 

Besiktas had the ball in the net after 11 minutes but the goal was correctly ruled out for offside and Bahadir got lucky in the Ankaragucu goal. 

New signing Tolga Cigerci was looking very impressive for Ankargucu in the middle of the park and put in a fabulous cross for Beridze who headed past Bilgin to make it 1-0 after 26 minutes. 

Besiktas took no time to get back on level terms and 3 minutes later equalised through Muleka. Oguz failed to stop another cross coming into the box, Bahadir saved the cross but palmed the ball straight to Muleka who put the ball into the back of the net to make it 1-1. 

Six minutes later and Besiktas took the lead. Marlon and Beridze let Deli Alli sneak in at the back post from a Weghorst knock down and the English man put the ball past Bahadir to make it 1-2. 

The scoring remained that way at half time and although a goal behind, Ankaragucu were playing well and still in the match. 

Half Time - 1-2

Ankaragucu made 2 changes at half time with Diack replacing Zahid, and Firatcan replacing Oguz. Diack made a big difference with his physical presence and athleticism in the middle of the park. 

Only 2 minutes into the second half and Ankaragucu were back on level terms. Another outstanding ball into the box from Tolga for Beridze who took a brilliant first touch, and then finished beautifully to make it 2-2. 

At this point Ankaragucu were leading in possession stats and passes completed which is credit to Omer Erdogan as the team was playing some good football and building from the back. 

Besiktas took the lead again on the 73rd minute. The referee pointed to the spot for an Eren handball and Nkoudou stepped up to make it 3-2. This is when things started to get very heated. 

Ankaragucu had a couple of chances later on to tie the game through Atakan and Sinan but they both headed wide when should have done better. 

Marlon was then sent off for a second bookable offence, and things turned in the stands. Umut Meras and Oguzhan from Besiktas got involved in altercations with Ankaragucu fans and Omer Erdogan. An Ankaragucu fan then ran on the field and tried to kick Mete Kalkavan the referee but instead kicked a Besiktas player.  No doubt a stadium ban is coming our way. 

Next up is an away trip to Alanyaspor on Sunday in another tough game. Ankaragucu need to build on last nights performance and get all 3 points. 

GENCLERBIRLIGI EKE-OUT A POINT IN AN INSTANTLY FORGETABLE MATCH !!!

 

 

Greetings Kankas and Kankies.

 

Goztepe               0                      GENCLERBIRLIGI            0

 

Team – Adiyaman, Musa, Merti, Gokhan, Metehan, Hrechyshkin, Ahmet, Aksel, Serdarcan, Baris and Ilker

 

Substitutes – Ulusoy, Altiparmak and Byelyayev

 

Goztepe came out the traps looking for the early goal and pinned Gencler back into their own half for the first 10 minutes or so.

 

There was no threat to Adiyaman and so Gencler gradually worked their way back into the match, but they were also guilty of posing no serious threat.

 

The 1^st half was mostly end to end with neither team looking likely to score.

 

I hesitate to say it, but it was boring  !!!

 

Into the 2^nd half and Adiyaman made his first meaningful save from a shot just outside the box on the left which he pushed around the left post for a corner.

 

The first serious effort of the match occurred in the 64^th minute when Baris worked his way into the box from the right and his shot hit the underside of the bar and was cleared.

 

6 minutes later it was Baris again who set-up a team mate for a shot on goal which was saved.

 

I think the Goztepe Coach was probably contemplating the ‘hair dryer speech’ in the dressing room at the end of the match with 5 minutes to go.     With Goztepe seeking to score a late winner they were awarded a corner after some pressure in the Gencler box.    The ball was sent over from the left, sailed well over the players in the box and went out for a throw-in near the right corner flag.      That just about sums up the match   !!!

 

Gencler looked the likelier team to score in the 2^nd half, but to be honest, neither team deserved to win this one and on this performance both teams will struggle this season.

 

Next up for Gencler in a home match on Saturday 10 September against struggling Tuzla.    Win this and they could again challenge for a top 5 position.

 

As always, watch this space for the outcome.

 

All the best from Eski Kanka Jim

Ankaragucu vs Besiktas match preview!

 

You have to go back to 2011 for the last time Ankaragucu beat Besiktas through a Serdar Ozkan goal in front of an empty 19 Mayis Stadium due to a stadium ban. 

Since then, Ankaragucu have spent the last 11 years in financial mess, involved in many turbulent moments off the field, and 5 of those seasons in the lower leagues. 

Sunday nights game sold out in just over a day as 22,000 Ankaragucu fans quickly snapped up the tickets showing again why they are one of the most loyal sets of fans in Turkey. 

After the first 4 games of the season Besiktas are flying and sit top of the table with 3 wins and a draw, while Ankaragucu are 2nd bottom with 2 defeats and a draw. They have played 1 less game due to having a bye 2 weeks ago. 

I have watched all of Besiktas games this season and they have been very impressive going forward. They have so much pace all over the pitch with Rosier and Masuaku to very attacking wing backs. Rosier arguably the best RB in the league. 

In midfield they have technical players in Deli Alli and Salih Ucan, while on the wings they have 2 of the fastest players in the league in both Nkoudou and Muleka who support new striker Wout Weighorst who is a giant and holds the ball up well, while very strong in the air. Nkoudou in particular is a very good player who has everything in his game if he can stay injury free and consistent. 

With the amount of speed and quick movement in the Besiktas team, New coach Omer Erdogan will need to counter that with playing his fittest team. 

We saw in the last couple of games, how unfit and slow this Ankaragucu team are and how it had been poorly prepared by former manager Mustafa Dalci and Emre Yildiz. 

Omer Erdogan is a quality coach and will be up against it from his very first game. In defence he has a big headache as only Sinan is tall enough to compete with Wout Weighorst in the air, but he is so slow and would easily be exposed and dragged out of position from Besiktas interchanging and mobile attack.

In midfield Pepe, Pedrinho, and Zahid arent the most athletic of players and we will need to wait and see if new signing Tolga Cigerci is fit enough to start. We may see a surprise start for Ali Kaan who is quick and energetic and if partnered by 2 of the more technical players may be a good option. 

Jese Rodriguez again showed he is no where near fit enough to start for Ankaragucu and was a big part of the teams problems last week. Tasos should come in to take his place in the team but that leaves Beridze as the only other option in that area and he hasnt shown anything of note in his first couple of games. Could their be another shock start for Gboly Ariyibi?

Earlier in the week it was reported that Mustafa Dalci and Ali Sowe had a fall out before the Fatih Karagumruk match, so that leaves only Macheda and Eren as options for the striker position. Macheda failed to impress last week but should get the nod. 

This is a huge match for both sides, Besiktas looking to keep their good early start going and show they are capable title contenders this season, while Ankaragucu need to get their season going and a draw or win would be a great way to start for new manager Omer Erdogan. 

Good luck Ankaragucu!!!