Kazım Kazım scored in the 59th minute to give Fenerbahçe a 1-0 away victory over FC Steaua Bucharest in Group H, while the Galatasaray taught Steaua’s distant cousin, Dinamo 1948 Bucharest, a good soccer lesson with a resounding 4-1 in their Group F match at İstanbul’s Ali Sami Yen Stadium.The Fener Canaries dominated the game from the starting whistle but it was not until the 59th minute that they broke the deadlock, ending Steaua’s run of four European home clean sheets this season. Having drawn 0-0 in its two previous group games, Steaua is now the cellar-dweller in the group, four points behind new leader Fenerbahçe, and faces outright elimination when it visits the Canaries in İstanbul on Nov. 5.
The interesting thing is that the Canaries accomplished this feat even though they were reduced to bare bones due to injury. Brazilian captain-playmaker Alex De Souza, Spanish striker Daniel Güiza and Brazilian midfielder Deivid De Souza were all sidelined. Kazım was the sole striker.
Lions roar at home
Galatasaray coach Frank Rijkaard, pilloried from all sides for Galatasaray’s poor defending against Trabzonspor last Sunday, fixed the leaky defense by not allowing Dinamo players to have much space. Even though the Lions conceded one goal, it did not really matter as the attacking force banged in four goals.
The Lions struck four times in 26 minutes on either side of halftime to beat Dinamo and cement their Group F lead. After Harry Kewell’s 32nd-minute opening goal, Shabani Nonda struck before and after half-time and a penalty from Elano Blumer just before the hour made it four before substitute Gabriel Bostina pulled a goal back for Dinamo.
The victory leaves the Lions a point clear of Panathinaikos FC, a 1-0 home winner over Austria’s SK Sturm Graz, at the top of the four-team standings. The Lions face Dinamo in Bucharest on Nov. 5, and a draw will be enough to advance to the next round with two games remaining.
