Sunday, August 13, 2023

ANKARAGUCU – DEFENSIVE FRAILTIES RE-SURFACE !!



 

Greetings Kankas and Kankies.

 

One week into the new season and I say .........here we go again with our usual gripes of recent seasons   !!

 

Defensive blunders, panic stations and hoofing the ball anywhere from goalmouth danger areas, and Ali playing The Lone Ranger up front and being policed by 2 or 3 defenders.

 

With all due respect to Kasimpasa, this was a fixture where Ankaragucu should be taking something from to kick-start the season and they almost did, but almost meant returning to Ankara empty handed   !

 

It was a cruel ending to the match for Ankaragucu who had fought back from 2-0 down and seemed like they had played their ‘get out of jail card’, but a brilliant strike from Ouanes in time added on put paid to Ankaragucu’s efforts of salvaging a point   !

 

Kasimpasa          3                  ANKARAGUCU             2

 

Team – Rafal, Kitsiou, Uros, Atakan, Mujakic, Hanousek, Tolga, Djokanovic, Beridze, Efkan and Ali

 

Substitutes – Tasos, Turkmen, Uudag, Renaldo and Pedrinho

 

Ankaragucu was on the back foot from the kick-off and almost conceded 15 minutes in when the Ankaragucu defence was caught out with a fast Kasimpasa break, but the final shot was well saved by Rafal.

 

5 minutes later Ali almost scored when he was put through on the left but the ball seemed to be too far in front of him, but that didn’t stop the goalkeeper bringing him down as he rushed out to clear the danger.     Zero points to the referee for not having a look at VAR for a possible penalty   !!

 

10 minutes later and Kasimpasa was in front after a defensive aberration.    A free kick was awarded on the left and the Ankaragucu defence lined up along the 6 yard line but allowed Kara to stand in front of them at the near post.     The ball was sent over and Kara glanced his header in at the far post with no cover for Rafal.     Unforgivable that Kara wasn’t covered in the front and from behind ............. aaaargh   !!!

 

Kasimpasa almost made it 2 near the end of the 1st half when from another fast break they hit the bar.

 

Into time added on in the 1st half and Ankaragucu almost equalised when a shot from outside the box hit the post.

 

Almost on the half time whistle and the dangerous and speedy Gomis almost scored from another Kasimpasa fast break but Rafal saved his goal bound shot with his outstretched leg.

 

Into the 2nd half and Kasimpasa was still looking the likelier of the 2 teams to find the next goal, and it came in the 69th minute from yet another Ankaragucu defensive blunder.

 

The ball was gifted to a Kasimpasa player by an Ankaragucu defender half way inside his own half who played a through ball to Fall who had the easiest of chances to beat the unprotected Rafal.

 

It looked all over at this point, but 3 minutes later Ankaragucu was back in the match.

 

From a free kick just outside the box in the centre, Efkan curled his shot into the top left to lift the morale of the team.

 

Yet another let-off for Ankaragucu 3 minutes later when Kasimpasa hit the bar again.

 

Then 2 minutes later came the unlikely equaliser when new boy, Renaldo, opened his account on his debut.    A cross came in from the left and an attempted clearance by a defender was screwed into the path of Renaldo who made no mistake from close range.

 

Only one minute into time added on and the 3 kankas watching were happy enough with one point, but with the Ankaragucu defence all at sea, Kasimpasa contrived to miss putting the match to bed when Rafal saved a goal bound shot and the rebound hit the post and was cleared.

 

However, our relief lasted only one minute when Ouanes sent a long range shot from outside the box at the right into the top left corner giving Rafal no chance.

 

What a bummer of an ending   !!!

 

Ankaragucu will be in action again at home next Monday evening 21 August at ‘stupid KO time’ 9pm against Adana Demirspor.

 

Adana Demir is going great guns in the European Conference League this season and will be a stern test of Ankaragucu’s ability to bounce back after last night’s disappointment.

 

Hopefully Renaldo will have had another week to find full fitness and be in the starting line-up.    

 

All the best from Eski Kanka Jim

1 comment:

  1. As soon as we saw Atakan Cankaya in the starting line up it again showed lessons arent being learnt.

    He was the one that gifted Kasimpasa their 2nd. Ben Ouenes goal was a great strike but he was allowed to shoot with no one closing him down,

    Great goal from Efkan, and Renaldo showed promise when he came on, although surprisingly Tolunay was quite negative about him when asked why he didnt start.

    I dont have much hope for this team unless we makes 3-4 key signings in the next week before deadline day.

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