Greetings Kankas
and Kankies.
It was quite
clear when the team was announced yesterday that the new Ankaragucu Coach,
Tolunay Kaftas, was opting for a defensive line-up with very few attacking
options available to support Ali, The Lone Ranger, and so it proved with
Ankaragucu managing only two shots on target in the match.
The main talking
point of the match was that Ankaragucu shot themselves in the foot by scorning
the opportunity of at least taking a point back to Ankara when they failed to
convert a penalty in the 2nd half.
Apart from that,
they had Gokhan to thank for keeping the score line respectable !!
Istanbul
Basaksehir 1 ANKARAGUCU 0
Team – Gokhan,
Kitsiou, Radakovic, Atakan, Mujakic, Hasan Ali, Taylan, Diack, Pedrinho, Emre
and Ali Sowe
Substitutes –
Zahid, Matej Hano, Andrej Dokanovic, Beridze and Oko
The first real
action of the match came in the 22nd minute when Gokhan made a
spectacular save from a goal bound shot heading inside the right post.
The warning went
unheeded when Basak opened the scoring 15 minutes later. A long ball was sent from just inside their
own half on the right to Gurler who had peeled away from the Ankaragucu
defenders on the left, and with them in his wake, he headed the ball over
Gokhan to score a well constructed goal.
Emre had a
chance to equalise near the half time whistle when he drove into the box on the
right and shot narrowly past the left post.
The only good
news at this point was that Zahid replaced the ineffective Pedrinho for the
start of the 2nd half !!
5 minutes in and
Gokhan saved another stinging shot which was goal bound.
5 minutes later
and Ankaragucu was handed a lifeline when Zahid was brought down in the box
when he had received a pass and looked like he was about to shoot. Ali stepped up and sent his effort to the
right which hit the post and rebounded into play only for the 2nd effort
to be skied well over ! I recommend that Zahid be entrusted with
penalty kicks in the future !!!
10 minutes later
and yet another great save by Gokhan from a goal bound shot heading inside the
left post.
5 minutes later
and Ankaragucu had another chance to equalise when a cross came in from the
left and hit the post. The rebound
was headed against the post by Ali and the 2nd rebound was sent past
the post and out after Ali looked to be off balance. It was just not Ali’s day !!
10 minutes to go
and a scare was avoided of a possible handball in the Ankaragucu box. However, VAR was not consulted, the referee
obviously deemed it was ball to arm and not arm to ball. A sensible decision at last from a referee
and his interpretation of the handball rule
!!!
8 minutes into
time added on and Gokhan saved a certain goal on a 1 on 1 situation, the last
action of the match.
The possible
crisis is looming, but the panic button has yet to be pushed !!
Miracles do happen sometimes and relegation is not a done deal yet. Having said that, the next league match on
Saturday 8 April against fellow strugglers Istanbulspor will be the acid
test !
Prior to that,
on Tuesday 4 April Ankaragucu will face another stiff test in the Quarter Final
of The Turkish Cup against Trabzonspor, but to be honest, all the focus will
now be on winning league points with the Cup match a mere distraction.
As always, watch
this space for the outcome.
All the best
from Eski Kanka Jim
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