ANKARAGUCU - A MATCH OF `FOUR HALVES` !!

Greetings Kankas and Kankies.

The express train that was ANKARAGUCU started the match last night looking more like a freight train !!

Galatasaray 1 ANKARAGUCU 0

First up, we assembled in The Cappadokia Bar to watch the match on the big screen. Maniac Kanka Harun and his wife Asuman, Yankee Kanka, Battle Damaged Kanka Damon, (Surprise Surprise……….. Mountaineering Kanka Robbie for his 1st match for …….. a while !!), Apple Kanka Erman (named by Maniac Kanka) and yours truly.

Why Apple Kanka I can hear you all asking ? First correct answer received will win a free beer from Maniac Kanka !

By the way, it has to be reported that I witnessed Maniac Kanka drinking Turkish coffee and water in the Cappadokia. A heinous crime for a Kanka ! I took a photo of this monstrous event which I hope we can display here soon !

Expectations were high in the Cappadokia on the back of Herr Briegel’s pre-match call for ANKARAGUCU to concentrate on containing the CimBom strikers and to play the match for 90 minutes and not start/stop as we witnessed last week against Denizli.

It was CimBom then who came out like an express train and had ANKARAGUCU with their backs against the wall. Thankfully, Serkan had found his normal confidence and he was in fine form stopping everthing that came his way.

Half way through the 1st half we had a `Time-Out` for water on the touch line. First time I’ve ever seen this in a footie match ! A good idea though.

It was all CimBom at this time apart from a brief flurry of attacking from ANKARAGUCU before the 45 minutes break. Cem Can had a great opportunity to score during this period when he sent in a screamer only for Orkun to make an acrobatic leap to his left and tip it over for a corner.

However, it was CimBom who opened the scoring with a fantastic strike from Lincoln outside the penalty box which swerved its way into the top left hand corner giving Serkan no chance. In fact, a similar goal to the strike from Yasin 2 weeks ago against Gokcekspor.

Bebbe was being well marshalled by Song (sometimes `mostly` unfairly) and it was being left to Kirita and Dursun to attempt long range efforts.

Into the `3rd Half` and, again, it was CimBom who were looking the more likelier team. In fact, they reminded me of the CimBom team under Fatih Terim with their high speed footie and great running off the ball. They always seemed to have a man spare, and but for Serkan in goal (and the woodwork !) and Emre’s marshalling of the defence, would surely have scored again.

Another `Time Out` for water on the 65 minutes mark !!

However, all credit to ANKARAGUCU for chasing the game until the final whistle. It was encouraging that heads did not go down !

Having slipped from the lofty position of 2nd top in the league to 6th, the signs are still there that this could be a successful season for ANKARAGUCU. We left the Cappadokia disappointed but not dis-spirited !!

Next up is the BIG local derby against Genclerbirligi next Saturday 1st September. I checked with TRT this morning and the KO time is 8pm.

So, we will probably meet in the The Chopin Bar at about 5.30pm and go to the Stadium at 6.30pm. Not sure of the ticket arrangements yet but it is certain to be a full house in the Stadium, especially at the ANKARAGUCU end.

All the best from Eski Kanka Jim