ANKARAGUCU – RELEGATION LOOMS ON THE HORIZON !!

 

 

Greetings Kankas and Kankies.

 

Relegation was always likely, even after last season’s reprieve, but now even more so with Ankaragucu seemingly cut adrift at the bottom of the league alongside Denizli and 6 points away from the escape zone.   Granted, 6 points may not seem much at first glance, but with Ankaragucu’s recent performances, there can be little hope for a miracle escape.

 

Ankaragucu’s 2^nd Coach of the season, Mustafa Dalci, has now gone after this recent match, and  there is little hope at this stage of the season of bringing in a competent Coach to wave a magic wand   !

 

ANKARAGUCU          1                      Sivasspor         4

 

Team – Korcan, Atakan, Pazdan, Erdi, Pinto, Voca, Saba, Ibrahim, Emre, Alper and Badji

 

Substitutes – Kitsiou, Orkan, Borven and Geraldo

 

The writing was on the wall as early as the 9^th minute when Ankaragucu gave away a needless penalty.    A Sivas attacker was heading into the penalty box on the left with Erdi by his side on the goal side.    Then Pazdan came in from the other side and looked like he stood on his foot, but in my opinion the attacker looked to be running out of space and the ball may well have gone out of play.    However, the referee blew for a penalty against Pazdan and Max stepped up to send in a bullet to the centre with Korcan diving to his left.

 

Then another crisis in the 20^th minute when the referee blew for another penalty against Ibrahim who had tackled a defender just inside the box.    Ibraham looked to have won the tackle but in the process the ball ricocheted up and hit his arm before the ball was cleared.   The referee obviously had a message in his earpiece and therefore called for VAR.    After consulting it himself his disallowed the penalty.   It was obviously ball to hand, but the new rule on this subject is confusing, even for referees, but thankfully common sense prevailed in this case.

 

At this stage of the match Ankaragucu was still in it and 5 minutes later they should have equalised when Badji received a pass in the 6 yard box but sent his weak shot straight at the goalkeeper.   Then one minute later and it was Emre’s turn to have his shot saved by the goalkeeper.     Badji had another good chance on the half hour mark when he received a long range pass and then blasted his shot wide of the left post when he should have done better.

 

Further chances fell to Ankaragucu before the half time whistle but Emre was caught dithering when Pinto sent him a perfect pass, and then Saba had a volleyed shot just outside the box which flew over the bar.

 

The 2^nd half was only 2 minutes old when Sivas scored No2 and it was a great piece of skill by Kayode with help from the Ankaragucu defence.    He received a pass from inside his own half and went scurrying down the left wing.    He cut inside into the box and eluded Erdi’s feeble tackle and wrong footed another tackle, and then sent the shot inside the left post with Korcan grounded for some reason.    He was probably expecting the shot to be sent to the right post ??!!

 

Geraldo was the only Ankaragucu player who looked as though they had a football brain, and once he is up to full fitness I’m sure he will be an asset to the team.    He set-up the Ankaragucu goal in the 65^th minute with  good work down the right.    He reached the goal line and played a perfect cut-back for Orkan to shoot.    The goalkeeper and defender tried to clear the shot but only helped the ball in.

 

If we were expecting the equaliser we were sadly disappointed 3 minutes later when Sivas restored their 2 goal advantage.      There was a fast Sivas break on the left and when the cross came in there was only Pinto there to defend against 2 attackers.    It was too easy for Sivas and the ball was stroked in with Korcan helpless.

 

3 minutes from the final whistle and Sivas made it 4 with what I thought was a blatant offside.    The linesman agreed with me, but he was over-ruled by the referee.     However, by that stage in the match Ankaragucu was a well beaten side.

 

However, it could have been so different if they had taken their chances and had the players to actually convert all their chances.

 

It is a sad reflection that Ankaragucu had 64% possession in the match and yet managed to lose by such a large margin  !!

 

I have to say that most of the possession was in midfield with their annoying habit of passing from one touch line to the other, and then back making a triangle of passes and going nowhere !!  

 

It really is pitiful, pathetic and inexcusable, and so boring to watch.     Even at 4-1 down in the 90 plus 2 stage of the match, they were still doing it.     Hopefully the new Coach will instil a more direct and forceful attacking policy.     Let’s hope it’s not too late  !!

 

Next up is an away match against much improved Kayseri next Saturday afternoon.   

 

All the best from Eski Kanka Jim