Your good correspondent is a little under the weather today. I came down with a fever the other day and am still recovering. So don't expect any words of wisdom, not that you ever really get that sort of stuff on the blog, just some sort of straight reporting on Kasimpasa v Genclerbirligi.
The match is being played in Istanbul at the "White Elephants are downright useful compared to here" Stadium rather than the "Definitely no alcohol or adultery" Stadium which Kasimpasa call home. Rather than looking at the absolutely crap squad they have, Kasimpasa officials during the week where whining away that this was the reason they were doing so badly this season.
It seems that the TFF had refused to give the necessary approval for matches to be played at "Certainly no alcohol or adultery allowed" Stadium due to various infrastructure problems which I can't be bothered to research. So, we are playing at the "Will never see an" Olympic Stadium.
Bugger TRT radio today. I've decided to try listening to Lig Radyo. Let's see if they are any better.
Sunny but very windy in Istanbul. National anthems over and off we go. Almost, a minute's silence for soldiers killed in the recently ended Operation Gunes. No one is making a sound.
An enormous crowd for the 80,000 capacity stadium, with about 50 Gencler fans and 200 Kasimpasa fans... why oh why do they play matches at such a crap stadium a million miles from civilization?
A few minutes in and it seems like Engin is going to try and repeat his amazing free kick goal from last week. We reported last week he will never get such a goal again... he kicks and... unfortunately we were right.
Bugger all happening... although the commentator is saying the Gencler defence is looking good.
About 18 minutes in and finally a shot for goal but Kasimpasa stuff it up. Phew. Oh dear, another chance for Kasimpasa, the ball goes out but Gencler have to be careful.
23rd minute: Free kick to Kasimpasa in the same place where they scored the only goal in their match against Galatasaray. Six men in the wall. Fingers crossed... missed... one metre over, or possibly to the side of, the post
30 seconds later and another missed shot from Kasimpasa. Bloody hell Gencler, we were at least two-nil up by this stage last week!
We seem to be getting our fair share of the ball but can't sort out the last passes... Get on with it!
Mehmet Cakir in a great position, passes it towards Okan but the ball is stolen... dear oh dear. Almost half time.
Half time 0-0. I'm falling asleep.
Mehmet Cakir has been taken off. mmm
Getting a few shots but none are brilliant... none of them even sound as if they are halfway to brilliant, as the commentator just said, there has been little decent football all match.
El Saka saves our blushes heading the ball out from a dangerous position and then a few seconds later Kasimpasa just miss a shot on goal.
With four or five players waiting in front of goal Erhan sends the ball out. This is pathetic. About 12 minutes left.
Isaac Promise... You flamin' galah! In a bomboş position with just a minute to go Isaac stuffs up.
And that's it.
Kasimpasa 0 - 0 Genclerbirligi
Pathetic.
Radio-wise, like TRT radio, Lig radio doesn't go for analysis. Lig radio doesn't even bother with going around the grounds. But they did give the full 90 minutes of the Gencler match and for that reason I'll be listening to Lig radio from now on.
The Round Ball in Ankara! Dedicated to football lovers in Ankara (Except for those who follow Osmanlispor)
OZ kANKA, who was the play by play man from lig rado?....
ReplyDeleteMy friend, Mehmet Ayan is the program Manager at Lig radyo...
he does live games too...
Yes, lig tv broadcast all the games live....
No idea I'm afraid Ahmet bey. Although whomever it was was pretty good. As I said I'll be listening to Lig radio from now on.
ReplyDeleteI was at the match, actually; and that was the most boring match I have see in my life. Ever. Let alone the semi-futile efforts for three Ankara guys to try to find the right entrance to the stadium. I cannot believe Istanbul applied for the Olympics twice with this crappy project.
ReplyDeleteAlthough the Stadium is away from Istanbul and closer to somewhere like, erm, Sofia, the traffic and especially the traffic signs are still Istanbullish. The different entrances to the stadium (like, East, West, South, VIP and media) are miles away from each other. However, there is no coordination where the away fans should be. Or, there is no coordination at all. Tell me what 'south' means to you, apart from the conventional meaning.
Anyway, the radio says wrong. This was the only match in my life that away Gencler crowd was more than Kasimpasa supporters. Or, the tribunes are so far away from each other that they couldn't be spotted.
There is nothing to tell about the match. One thing I spotted. Burhan playued as a free winger -in both wings, depending on the shape of the attack- and couldn't perform well. Everyone was missing, particularly because the pitch is in largest possible scale -Olympiade, yes-
After the match ended, we agreed in silence that this is an experience. One we should forget.