Ankaragucu vs Boluspor match preview !

Ankaragucu travel to Bolu tomorrow to take on Boluspor in the Turkish PTT Lig. It is difficult to tell if Wednesdays match at Besiktas will spur Ankaragucu on or weather it has dented the players confidence after going so close to causing a big upset in Istanbul. The match between Ankaragucu and Boluspor has an interesting history dating back to 1981.

Both sides met each other that year in the Turkish Cup final which Ankaragucu won 2-1, Turkish President Kenan Evran and Ankara Mayor  Mustafa Gonul decided the Turkish Cup winners would win promotion to the Turkish Super Lig. Fans of Boluspor were angered at this and believed that the match was fixed in order to make sure Ankaragucu won promotion. Ankaragucu remained in the Super  Lig until last season.

Boluspor are sitting mid table at the moment and are still in with a chance of a play off place, but could also be dragged into the relegation battle. They have enough quality in their side including Serge Dijehoua, Akeem Agbetu, Iskander Alin and former Ankaragucu goalkeeper Serdar Kulbilge. The later signed for Ankaragucu last summer from Genclerbirligi but didn't play a single game due to his alleged involvement in match fixing during his time at Gencler.

If the home side play to their full potential they could prove to be to strong for Ankaragucu with the quality they have in their squad. A good 3-1 win at Sanliurfaspor last week will give them some confidence in what has been a start stop season so far.

Ankaragucu can take confidence from their performance mid week during Besiktas, and if they play to that same level there is no reason why they cant return to Ankara with the three points. Timur Ozgoz, Umit Kurt and Kaan Kanak are all in excellent form and will be again called upon for their big performances.

History has been good to Ankaragucu in this fixture as the picture above shows when winning the cup, lets hope tomorrow it repeats itself with 3 points.

Besiktas 3-2 Ankaragucu match report !

The young lions of Ankaragucu were left with broken hearts at full time tonight as Besiktas won 3-2 scoring the winning goal with 5 minutes to go. Before the game had kicked off the home side were expected to win comfortably, after all the Super Lig side with their international superstars were up against a young Ankaragucu side who have won 1 league game all season and cant pay their players.

These young Ankaragucu players can head back home to the Capital with their heads held high and be proud of an excellent performance tonight in Istanbul, and credit to manager Mustafa Kaplan who set up the team with his usual 4-4-2 formation.

Team - Bayram, Aytac, Mehmet, Umit, Volkan, Gokhan Erdogan, Mert Erdogan, Bilal, Kaan, Sinan, Timur

Subs: Gokahn, Gurkan, Teoman, Enes, Gundogdu, Hasan, Umut Nayir


You will be glad to here that Ankaragucu took to the field on time and there were no delays in kick off despite Atilla Suslu claiming all week that the team would enter the field 15 minutes late in protest against the Turkish FA. Instead 11 young men representing the club they love took to the field and fought for 90 minutes producing their best performance to date.

Besiktas as expected started the game stronger, they rested some of their players like Manuel Fernandes and Alan McGregor while Hugo Almeida was suspended. The first chance of the game fell to Muhammed Demirici after Emre crossed the ball to the back post, but the youngster could only find the side netting.

It took 20 minutes for the first goal of the game, and it was the home side who went ahead. A long ball over the top which Mehmet Tasci failed to deal with found its way to Filip Holosko, the big striker was to strong and held off Umit Kurt before firing past Bayram. 1-0 Besiktas.

After the Besiktas goal, Ankaragucu stepped up a gear and started to close down every ball as well as get the ball forward to Sinan and Timur. Bilal Gulden played a lovely ball through for Timur who beat the offside trap, the striker was one on one with Cenk and kept his nerve before putting the ball through the keepers legs to make it 1-1. A fantastic goal and great finish from Timur.

Five minutes later and the Ankaragucu fans were on their feet again, another through ball which Cenk came out of his area and punched the ball away, the referee waved play on and the ball found its way to Kaan who lobbed Cenk to make it 2-1 Ankaragucu. The TV cameras went to the Ankaragucu bench and the substitutes couldn't believe what they were seeing.

Just before half time Bayram made some good saves from Filip Holosko, and then an excellent double save from Olcay. Half time 2-1 , an excellent first half from Ankaragucu but there were another long 45 minutes to go.

Into the second half and Filip Holosko had a chance to put Besiktas level, he outmuscled both Mehmet Tasci and Umit Kurt which left him one on one with Bayram, but Ankaragucu goalkeeper made a good save at his feet. Besiktas did get their equaliser from the penalty spot. Ugur Boral went past his man in the box, Gokhan Erdogan slid in and brought Ugur down and the referee awarded the penalty. Thomas Hilbert stepped up and blasted the ball into the top corner giving Bayram no chance.

Gokhan had a half chance to redeem himself but blasted well over from just outside the box. The best chance of the second half for Ankaragucu fell for Timur, he was put through on goal but this time he shot straight at Cenk who tipped the ball round the post.

It looked like the game was heading for extra time until Ibrahim Toroman crossed the ball in the box, it found its way to Batuhan Karadeniz who headed past Bayram to make it 3-2 Besiktas. The goal seemed to take the wind out of the Ankaragucu players and Besiktas held on and will progress into the group stages of the Cup.

Next up for Ankaragucu is an away trip to Boluspor on Saturday afternoon, if the players play to the same level as tonight they will win the game. But just how much has tonight taken out of the players ? One thing is for sure, they can be proud of their efforts tonight. Timur Ozgoz will have done himself no harm tonight with another impressive performance. His value will have risen and any team looking to sign him will surely make a move for him in January.

Saldir Ankaragucu !

Ankaragucu vs Besiktas match preview !

Ankaragucu travel to Istanbul to take on Besiktas in the Turkish Cup on Wednesday night. It remains to be seen if the game will go ahead with the Ankaragucu management threatening to take to the field 15 minutes late in protest against the Turkish FA for their failure to help the club.

Ankaragucu have a decent home record of recent against Besiktas with two draws and a win, the most recent a 0-0 draw at 19 Mayis last season. Their record in Istanbul isn't as good though and it will take a miracle to win on Wednesday night, but this is football and shocks do happen especially in cup competitions.

The young players will take a bit of confidence into the game after a good performance at the weekend against Samsunspor. As Jim mentioned Ankaragucu were unlucky not to take the three points and had to settle for a 1-1 draw. Besiktas on the other hand won 3-1 at home to Akhisar with Filip Holosko and Hugo Almeida looking on good form.

Besiktas will also have a Scottish member of their squad, with former Rangers goalkeeper Alan McGregor playing in goal. Hopefully Ankaragucu can put some pressure on the  Scotland number 1 with a shock win.

Ankaragucu will go into the game like this is a cup final, for these young players haven't had much to smile about of late, but there is no pressure on them on Wednesday night. This is a chance for them to enjoy themselves and take in the experience and create a bit of history. Hopefully our management will see sense and abandon their plans for disrupting the game.

Key players will be Bayram Olgun and Umit Kurt at the back who have been rock solid this season, while Mert Erdogan in midfield will be called upon to use his experience to help the younger players. Up front Timur will need to take the few chances that come his way.

Good luck Ankaragucu from the Round ball in Ankara !

Gencler slump away to Fener

In the end it was quite a drubbing and despite various reports in the paper's today saying that the referee was biased in favour of Fenerbahce, the Istanbul team deserved to win it.

Fenerbahce 4 - 1 Genclerbirligi

Bit lazy on Sunday afternoon so I didn't make it down to the Beer Bus to watch the match but instead pulled out the radio and expected the worse.

I was then pleasantly surprised to hear that Genclerbirligi were making good attacks and in quite possibly should have had a penalty.

The radio crossed over to the Sivas-Kayseri match. Then the dreaded studio announcer cuts in with, "back to Istanbul for news of a goal!"

Dreaded of course because chances are always that it was Fener who had scored. But no! Aykut Demir scores with a sort of volley after a free kick taken by Azofeifa.

A huge shout at the Oz Kanka household and we seemed to continue in our aggressive, positive football.

Then just before half-time came the news that Fener had equalised.

1-1 at half time and bugger the radio. I want to watch this on the telly so I rang @spinesideburn and we met up at the Pool Pub just in time for the second half.

Fenerbahce came out looking for the winner. They played some very nice football but the attacks created room for some counter attacking from our own boys. Nothing really worked though and then Fener scored. Pretty much open slather after that.

Oh well. That makes it 11 times since we last managed not to lose at Sukru Saricioglu. Not the best of records

ANKARAGUCU - ALL OUT ENDEAVOUR WINS A POINT

Greetings Kankas and Kankies. Picture taken from Samsunspor website.

No doubting the endeavour of all the young Ankaragucu players in the team yesterday, but it could so easily have been 3 points had the woodwork not been in the way and the Samsun goalkeeper, Atilla, not been in fine form.

Having said that, I should also mention that the Samsun defence was well organised and that was to be expected from a team with one of the tightest defences in the league.

ANKARAGUCU   1     Samsun   1

Team - Bayram, Aytac, Mehmet, Umit, Volkan, Teoman, Mert, Bilal, Kaan, Sinan and Timur.

Subs: Gokhan, Hasan, Umit Nayir, Orhan, Gurkan, Gundogdu, Enes

There was some doubt on Friday night that the match would take place.   Battle Damaged Kanka Damon saw some reports on the Internet that the Club 'Management' decided that the team would not take to the field in protest.   My immediate reaction was ......... a lot of good that will do !    Hand Samsun the 3 points free and then be handed a whopping fine by the TFF to add to the growing Club debts !

Anyway, we (Battle Damaged Kanka Damon, Cider Kanka John and I) decided to meet up at the Chopin Bar to assess the situation and find out if the rumour was true.   Gecikondu Bugra told us that the match was on and so off we went to the Stadium, more in hope than anything else !

We entered the Stadium 5 minutes into the match and Gecikondu was in full voice as normal.   There was a pitiful attendance in Maraton and it was the first time in my memory that Gates 7 and 8 were closed.    The 'away' end was full of Samsun boyz and I guess there was easily 3 to 400 there making their presence felt.  I should also mention that they had one of those 'love-ins' with Gecikondu in the 2nd half when they sang each others songs to each other.   Beats bad-mouthing !!

The first action of any note came in the 14th minute when Timur received a great pass, found himself in space  and fired in an unstoppable shot which was heading goal-bound.   However, Atilla was equal to it and made an outstanding save.

With half an hour gone it was pretty even with Samsun looking the more dangerous.   Ankaragucu was playing some nice footie but, not for the first time, it was breaking down in the last quarter.   Added to that, the Samsun defence was mopping everything up, especially the high balls into the area.

Then on the stroke of half time the break through came with an excellent sweeping move from Ankaragucu down the right.   Kaan crossed the ball into the area to the incoming Teoman, who had made a great run in support, received an inch perfect pass to side-foot the ball in and send us into raptures.

Perhaps Ankaragucu was fortunate to go in at half time one up, but we are thankful for small mercies these days !

Into the 2nd half and the match was being played at a fast and furious pace.   Ankaragucu was having more possession than they did in the first half and were looking likely to add to their score.

However, it was not to be.   The only mistake made by the Ankaragucu defence all afternoon was to be punished.   In the 71st minute the ball was slung over from the right but it was not dealt with.   The defending header was not accurate and fortuitously fell to a Samsun attacker who fired in a ferocious shot into the roof of the net giving Bayram no chance.

15 minutes to go and although the Ankaragucu players looked tired, they were still fighting for every ball and trying to get forward to grab the winner, and it almost came from Sinan with 10 minutes to go.   He turned his man in the box, found himself in space and fired in a shot with Atilla beaten.   Unfortunately, the ball hit the far post and rebounded to safety.    It would have been a contender for goal of the month !

The last few minutes of the match saw Ankaragucu have 2 more genuine efforts, the first being screwed wide by a miss-kick and the second saved by Atilla.

So, another point for Ankaragucu, but with the possibility of a points deduction looming, the future is not looking so rosy !

All credit to the Ankaragucu young players yesterday for their efforts.   Well played lads !

All the best from Eski Kanka Jim

Ankaragucu 1-1 Samsunspor

Ankaragucu were unlucky not to take the three points today as they drew 1-1 at home to Samsunspor. Goal came from Teoman Sefa. Match report tomorrow from Jim.

Ankaragucu vs Samsunspor match preview !

Ankaragucu take on Samsunspor at home on Saturday afternoon as the club look for that great escape in the battle against relegation. Mustafa Kaplan will take his young players to the field at the 19 Mayis stadium for the first time and will be hoping the fans will be there in their numbers to back them.

There has been a lot of talk this week of all the off field problems at Ankaragucu, only today Abdullah Karaata said that the club should look to appoint Ahmet Gokcek as president as there is no other way to save the club.

Mustafa Bey will put off field problems to the side for the visit of Samsunspor, the black sea club are also in a relegation battle and 7  points ahead of Ankaragucu. They have drawn 6 of their last 8 games though and like every other club who has come to Ankara will be tough opposition.

Last season both sides met four times, Ankaragucu winning one, Samsunspor wining one and the other two games ending in a draw. Unfortunately both teams were relegated to the Turkish First division and have found it difficult due to financial problems and loosing so many first team players.

Ankaragucu drew 1-1 at rivals Goztepe last week and were fortunate to escape with the point, it was thanks to a fantastic performance from Bayram who was instrumental in taking a point back to Ankara. Mert Erdogan is back from injury but there are injury concerns to Kaan Kanak, Mehmet Tasci and Serkan Sirin. .

The game will be a 2pm kick off Turkish time so make sure you are there to follow on the team, remember real fans follow the team through the dark times and don't follow the money.