ANKARAGUCU – LEAGUE SAFETY POSTPONED !!

 

 

Greetings Kankas and Kankies.

 

Ankaragucu can consider themselves unfortunate last night when they were unable to collect all 3 points, when in the dying minutes of the match, they conceded a penalty.   Consequently, they still find themselves involved in the relegation struggle, but with 3 matches left to play, there is still all to play for.

 

Having looked the better team for most of the match, it must have been a bitter pill to swallow for the players, especially having survived a late surge by Alanya to find the equaliser.   Therefore, credit must go to Bahadir and the defence for resisting the onslaught in the final 10 minutes of the match.   The penalty decision therefore was a body blow, however, on the upside, at least one point was secured   !

 

With Istanbulspor already relegated, there are now realistically 7 teams in the mix to join them, so the point gained last night might be significant as the struggle nears conclusion.

 

ANKARAGUCU            1                     Alanyaspor             1

 

Team – Bahadir, Atakan, Radakovic, Mujakic, Kitsiou, Alexis, Pedrinho, Bassogog, Efkan, Tasos and Ali Sowe

 

Substitutes – Bajic, Ali Kaan, Rodrigues, Renaldo and Tolga

 

Apart from an early scare after only 5 minutes when Bahadir saved a goal bound shot at the near post, it was Ankaragucu who looked the likelier of the two teams when they pinned Alanya back with their free flowing attacks.

 

Therefore, it came as no surprise when the opening goal arrived 5 minutes later after a fast break out of defence.   The ball was swept out to Tasos on the left from the centre circle and he took off, cut into the box, and sent his curling shot around the goalkeeper and inside the far post for an exquisite goal   !

 

Buoyed by their goal, Ankaragucu took control of the match at this stage with Alanya’s defence having to work overtime.

 

Ankaragucu almost found the 2^nd goal just before the break with good work by Ali Sowe on the right.      He spotted Bassogog in the centre and sent a perfect pass to him.    Bassogog delayed his shot to wrong foot the goalkeeper, but his goal bound shot was athletically headed over the bar by a defender on the goal line.

 

15 minutes into the 2^nd half and Ankaragucu had another chance to put the match beyond Alanya when Tasos made a telling pass to Alexis, but his goal bound shot was tipped over the bar by the goalkeeper.

 

Approaching the final 10 minutes of the match and Alanya laid siege to the Ankaragucu goal searching frantically for the equaliser.    However, all credit to the defence for dealing with their attacks.

 

Then in the 5^th minute of time added on, the unthinkable happened when Ankaragucu conceded a penalty   !

 

Mujakic failed to win the ball on the right and the attacker had time to send the ball into the box, and as the attacker was about to shoot, Ali Kaan tackled him from behind and sent the ball out for a corner.   However, in the process he brought the attacker down and the referee pointed immediately to the spot.    It was interesting to note that he didn’t feel inclined to check the VAR   !!!

 

Ozgur sent his fierce shot straight down the centre with Bahadir diving to his left.

 

So, still searching for points, Ankaragucu travel to Hatay (4^th bottom of the league at the moment) next Sunday 12 May in what will obviously be classed as a ..........6 pointer   !!

 

However, prior to that important match, there is another important match on Tuesday when Ankaragucu travel to play Besiktas in the 2^nd leg of The Turkish Cup Semi-Final with the Aggregate score at 0-0.

 

As always, watch this space for the outcome of both matches.

 

All the best from Eski Kanka Jim