ANKARAGUCU'S DEFENSIVE FRAILTIES RESURFACE

Greetings Kankas and Kankies. Gaziantepspor 3 ANKARAGUCU 2 Maniac Kanka Harun, Battle Damaged Kanka Damon and I met up at the Beer Bus Bar to watch the match, but optimism was in short supply due to our growing injury list !

Team - Ozden Ugur, Rajnoch, Aydin and Ozgur Adem, Kagan, Gabric and Murat Vittek and Serdar Substitutes used - Metin and Turgut Dogan

Antep came out of the traps like a whippet and made it quite clear that they were going for the early goal. However, they obviously under-estimated Ankaragucu's secret weapon at the back, ie, Ozden. After only 5 minutes of the match and he made a crucial save from an Antep free kick.

Although he didn't make a clean catch with his first attempt to collect the ball, he managed to save the squirming ball on the goal line as it was about to spin in for a goal. Then, a minute later he made another excellent save from a shot which was goal bound. Gabric had a shot on the 9th minute mark but the ball took a ricochet off a defender for a corner. It was still mostly Antep doing the attacking and Ankaragucu having to content themselves with the odd breakaway and high balls up to Vittek. All very well trying to feed Vittek, but there was only one problem. That man Dany again !!! He was sweeping up everything that came his way and his distribution of the ball was incredible. You may recall me making similar comments about Dany when Antep played in Ankara in the first half of the season ?! I'm sure half time came as a relief to the beleaguered Ankaragucu defence ...... and us kankas too I may add ! I have to admit that I would have been happy to settle for a 0-0 match at this point, but I didn't anticipate Ankaragucu folding so dramatically ! Into the 2nd half and Antep continued to press forward. Ozden was called into action after 3 minutes play to save from a fast breakaway and shot. 2 minutes later, Murat should have scored when put through on the left. He elected to blast the ball at Karcemarskas rather than chipping the ball over the advancing goalkeeper. The defining moment of the match came in the 57the minute from a calamity in the Ankaragucu defence (couldn't see who made the mistake) when the ball was gifted to an Antep player and with the Ankaragucu defence at 'sixes and sevens' he had all the time in the world to implement a triangular passing movement for Olcan to score with Ozden left exposed and helpless. 3 minutes later and it was TWO. From a free kick well outside the penalty area, the ball rebounded off the Ankaragucu wall to Cenk. With the wall opening-up, Cenk had a clear space to fire in a rocket with Ozden well beaten. Antep was in full cry now, but from a rare breakaway 5 minutes later, Ankaragucu won a corner which was slung over by Murat for Rajnoch to find the space to head in to the left corner. Vittek had a great chance to equalise 3 minutes later but his shot went just past the post. 15 minutes to go and we were witnessing the Ankaragucu fighting spirt as they continued to search for the equaliser, but .............. grrrrrrrrrrr ...... and arghhhhhhh....... another stupid mistake in the defence gifted Antep the match. Aydin should have dealt with his interception, but he didn't control the ball which he deflected to Cenk. I suppose Cenk couldn't believe his luck as he raced away with Ankaragucu defenders trailing in his wake, and fired in No3 with Ozden left exposed again ! With 5 minutes left, Metin almost made the scoreline respectable when he latched onto a great pass from Vittek, and with the keeper stranded he shot, but Dany was on the goal-line and saved (with his hands !!) and cleared the danger and the effin Ref waved play-on !! However, with 2 minutes remaining, Ozgur scored the 2nd goal, receiving another great pass from Vittek and fired in a left foot shot with the keeper well beaten. With 3 minutes of time-added-on, Ankaragucu searched in vain for the equaliser but Antep ran the game down to the final whistle. So, all credit to Ankaragucu for their fighting qualities trying to play 'catch-up', but against a team of Antep's quality you just can't afford to gift THREE goals to them and expect to win the match ! Man of the Match ? No doubt .......... Dany !! Next up is the home match next Saturday 16th (probably 2pm KO) against Buca when hopefully some of the walking wounded will be available for selection. Gencler travel to Beshiktrash for the Friday evening match on the 15th. All the best from Eski Kanka Jim