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Fener Canaries first quarterfinalists as cup produces no surprises
No such thing happened on Wednesday. The Fenerbahçe Yellow Canaries, who have not won the Turkish Cup since 1983, survived an early scare to beat visiting Tokatspor 3-2 in Group A at the Atatürk Olimpiyat Stadium in İstanbul. With three victories in as many cup matches, the Canaries became the first quarterfinalist in the competition.
Early scare
Tokatspor striker Arif Çoban scored with a long-range shot in the 19th minute, leaving Fener second-choice keeper Volkan Babacan completely dumbfounded and silencing the several thousand Fener spectators at the Olimpiyat Stadium.
Fenerbahçe’s Brazilian captain-playmaker Alex De Souza rose to the occasion in the 26th minute and headed in a Gökçek Wederson cross for his team’s equalizer. The two teams then went to their dressing rooms with the score tied at 1-1.
Prolific midfielder Mehmet Topuz, acquired from Kayserispor this season, put the Canaries 2-1 in the 48th, but midfielder Abdullah Boz scored three minutes later to level things up for Tokat. However, Spanish striker Dani Gonzalez Güiza’s goal in the 57th minute put the match beyond reach and settled the score: Fenerbahçe 3, Tokatspor 2.
What target?
“We are heading step by step toward our target,” Fener assistant coach Ayhan Tumani said in the post-match news conference, which ailing German coach Christoph Daum was unable to attend.
“It was a difficult match that bore all the hallmarks of a cup encounter,” he further stated, alluding to the unpredictable nature of the cup competition.
Fenerbahçe has not won the Turkish Cup in 27 long years and the jinx does not seem to be over yet. So if we may ask, what target was Mr. Tumani referring to?
Other Super League teams also came out unscathed on Wednesday as Eskişehirpor crushed Bank Asya League 1 side Altay 5-0 away in Group A.
The Bursaspor Green Crocs beat visiting division-two Tarsus İdmanyurdu 2-1 at the Atatürk Stadium in Group C, and the Denizlispor Roosters pipped second-division Giresunspor 1-0 away at the Atatürk Stadium in the same group.
Orduspor was a 1-0 away winner over Denizli Belediyespor in an all-division two Group B match at the Doğan Seyfi Atlı Stadium.
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