Think about it. At this time last season, both Konyaspor and Kocaelispor were doing battle in topflight Turkish soccer, but the two teams were relegated to the Bank Asya League 1 at the end of 2008-09.The league-leading Konyans are preparing seriously for a return to the Turkcell Super League next season. Kocaelispor, on the other hand, is at the bottom and appears to be one of the teams destined for relegation to the TFF 3 (third division) when the curtain falls on the Bank Asya League 1 season next May.
Goals from defender Tayfun Türkmen in the 21st, striker Erdal Kılıçaslan in the 39th and another by defender, Ömer Hacısalihoğlu, in the third minute of added time (93rd) were more than enough to give Konyaspor its seventh win in 11 outings.
And with Konya’s closest Bank Asya League 1 rival, Çaykur Rizespor, beaten 2-0 by Kartalspor in İstanbul, the Konyans, with 24 points, have taken sole possession of first place in the 18-team league.
Other Bank Asya League 1 matches on Sunday: Kardemir Karabükspor 3, Karşıyaka 0; Orduspor 0, Mersin İdmanyurdu 2; Bucaspor 1, Giresunspor 0; and Kayseri Erciyesspor 2, Boluspor 0.
