ANKARAGUCU - TURKISH CUP EXIT

Greetings Kankas and Kankies.

Mixed fortunes from the Ankara Big Two last night which saw ANKARAGUCU eliminated from the Turkish Cup and Genclerbirligi progressing into the knock-out stage. Results -

Besiktas 2 ANKARAGUCU 1
Rizespor 0 Genclerbirligi 1

With Gencler, Besiktas and ANKARAGUCU all finishing on 9 points each, it was down to goal difference and that meant Gencler topping the group with plus 5 and Besiktas 2nd with plus 4. ANKARAGUCU were 3rd with plus 3.

So, a disappointing night which had started so promisingly with all the kankas looking forward to the two Ankara teams qualifying. Oz Kanka, Maniac Kanka, Flying Dutchman Kanka, Husso Kanka, Fatma Kankie and I were seated comfortably in The Cappadokia Bar in front of the big screen and lots of `refreshments` kept coming our way !

The first half was mostly all Besiktas pressure with some narrow escapes in front of goal thanks to some poor finishing by the Besiktas strikers. There was only one moment of danger in the 1st half for Besiktas when Aytekin hit the post when it looked easier to score.

Into the 2nd half and it was still Besiktas who were doing most of the attacking, although ANKARAGUCU were beginning to pick up the pace and come more into the game after they were posted missing in the 1st half. Ceyhun and Bebbe had a couple of near misses.

Then, in the 60th minute, against the run of play, ANKARAGUCU scored what we all assumed would be the winner. From a quickly taken corner, Ceyhun fed the ball across the Besiktas goalmouth and Bebbe had the easiest of tasks to side foot the ball into the net with the Besiktas defenders looking static. The roar from the Kankas was heard all the way to Guven Park !!

10 minutes later we were still celebrating when Besiktas was awarded a dubious penalty. The Besiktas forward was running with the ball to the right of Serkan’s goal and was looking like he was having trouble controlling the ball when Serkan decided to commit himself to gathering the ball. The Besiktas forward took a tumble and the referee pointed to the spot. I have to be honest and say I would NOT have given it !!!

Ricardinho stepped up and sent Serkan the wrong way. So it was 1-1, but still all to play for.

Then disaster !!! A few minutes after the penalty and some of the floodlights went out and the referee stopped the match. Mutterings of discontent all round and some of the kankas (who will remain nameless !!) were suggesting deliberate tampering with the floodlights so that Besiktas would know the result from Rize before their match was over !!!! It will be interesting to see if anything comes of it and if the TFF will instigate an investigation ??!!

After 15 minutes the `fault` was repaired and the match resumed. However, no sooner had the match started with another Besiktas breakaway than the ball was sent in by Delgado for the 2nd Besiktas goal. Despondency all round and we were left feeling cheated after ANKARAGUCU were looking like the better team as the 2nd half progressed.

To compound matters further, Yasin was sent off a few minutes from the end and ANKARAGUCU were left with a mountain to climb.

So, as I said, a very disappointing end to ANKARAGUCU’s cup run, which is particularly galling when one considers that they had led the group from the beginning.

All credit to Gencler though for winning the group. We should not forget their excellent 3-0 win against Besiktas which was probably the result of the tournament so far. I heard today (22 January) that Gencler are drawn against Fener….spit…bahce in the quarter finals. It goes without saying that we will ALL be supporting Gencler and looking forward to seeing them in the Cup Final.

Back to league business this coming weekend. Details later.

All the best from a disappointed Eski Kanka Jim