ANKARAGUCU – HANGING BY TWO THREADS !

Greetings Kankas and Kankies.

OK, so we are playing the Cup Winners and 'possible' Champions, but that should not be a problem. Well, that's what we thought pre-match in the Chopin Bar !

Connect Kanka Steve, Philly Kanka Jamie and I met up first with long-time kanka, Casenova Kanka Gokhan back from France, but only temporarily.

Then came the stragglers. Kaleci Kanka Tansu (our new hero with the FREE tickets from a secret source !), Battle Damaged Kanka Damon, Moutaineering Kanka Robbie and Venuzuelan Kanka Roberto (spelling ?).

Unfortunately, we had to separate into two groups because of the ticket situation, ie, 3 of us in Maraton and 4 of us in Gecikondu, but no problem because we were in sight of each other through the dividing fence. The Maraton boys got in no problem, but the 4 Gecikondu boys only made it in at the National Anthem.

ANKARAGUCU 1 Besiktas 3

The Stadium was full in the Ankaragucu sections and what a noise one hour before kick off right up till the end of the match. Seeing and hearing is believing !

However, what an effin miserable way to start a 'must win' match !

Besiktas came out of the traps in attacking mode (as we knew they would) and scored a simple goal by Bobo after only 2 minutes play with Ankaragucu still in 'sleep mode'. Actually, I question whether it was offside, but, who am I to argue. Now a mountain to climb !

Ankaragucu recovered from the shock of conceding the early goal and were attacking Besiktas with 3 recognised strikers in the line up. Mehmet and Iglesias were full of running and getting stuck-in but De Negris was posted 'missing' !

Then, on the 15 minutes mark from a period of sustained Ankaragucu pressure, a corner was won. Over it came, but was not cleared, and in a goalmouth melee Iglesias rifled it in to rapturous applause from all the tribunes.

However, despite all Ankaragucu's efforts the 2nd goal wouldn't come and then disaster struck on the half hour mark.

Ernst received the ball outside the Ankaragucu penalty box and fired in a bullet of a shot which had Serkan beaten. It's going past the post I said. Wrong ! It hit the inside of the post and deflected in for another 'lucky' goal.

That's usually what happens when Ankaragucu plays an Istanbul team. They have the lucky breaks and the referee 'in their pocket' and Ankaragucu is left with lots of yellow cards for dissent ! Mr Tolga Ozkalfa's performance will go down in history as an abomination !

Jaba replaced De Negris for the 2nd half to much applause and he certainly made his presence felt. On another day, he might have scored a hat trick.

Two great headers went narrowly past and a free kick was saved well by 'hated figure' Rustu.
Into the last quarter and Ankaragucu was doing all the attacking to snatch the equaliser but Besiktas was still looking dangerous.

Then the sucker punch. Everyone up for yet another Ankaragucu corner, the clearance, the quick breakaway with defenders scurrying back. However, not fast enough, and there was Bobo again to score another easy goal.

All credit to Ankaragucu for not letting their heads go down, but hopefully lessons have been learned. They must keep it tight in the first 10 minuMtes of the match and keep some cover at corners to prevent opposition break outs.

Man of the Match - a close thing between Jaba and Santos. Santos was commanding at the back and who knows what a difference it would have made last night if he had Boozy beside him !

Back to the Chopin Bar where we met Oz Kanka Chris and lots of commiserations and Efes to dull the pain !

So, here we go again. Nerve ends jangling with only TWO matches left to escape from the brown smelly stuff !

Denizli are the visitors next week for what will be the most important match of the season. We can, and MUST, win this one !

3rd bottom Konya play Fener, so if Ankaragucu beats Denizli and Fener beats Konya, we can breathe a sigh of relief.

The tension is unbearable !

All the best from 'still optimistic' Eski Kanka Jim