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Manisaspor qualifies for cup quarters; Lions almost there
The victory means Manisaspor, which has completed its Group D matches, garnered eight points in four matches and consolidated its position on top of the five-team standings.
Kasımpaşa (four points) hosts İstanbul Büyükşehir Belediyespor (seven points) on Jan. 27 in a make-or-break clash to decide which team will join Manisaspor from this group.
If İstanbul Büyükşehir Belediyespor wins, it will finish as group leader, and Manisaspor will be the runner-up. If Kasımpaşa wins by two goals or more, then it will be runner-up behind Manisaspor.
In this case, İstanbul Büyükşehir Belediyespor will be sent packing along with already relegated Konya Şekerspor and “pointless” cup holder Beşiktaş.
Lions run riot at home
The Lions drubbed visiting second-division Denizli Belediyespor 5-1 at İstanbul’s Ali Sami Yen Stadium in Group B to virtually guarantee themselves a spot in the quarters.
Galatasaray is the undisputed group leader with nine maximum points from three outings, while Trabzonspor and Ankaragücü have six.
Ankara hosts Galatasaray in the final group match on Jan. 27, while Trabzonspor entertains whipping boy Ordu.
It is a foregone conclusion that the Trabzon Black side will sweep aside Ordu and therefore looks certain to qualify. In the Ankara-Galatasaray case, the Lions will qualify if they win, draw or do not go beyond a four-goal margin.
Group B has emerged as the “Group of Death,” and so the puzzle surrounding who will survive and who will be sent home will only be solved after the group matches on Jan. 27
No mercy
The Lions showed minnow Denizli Belediyespor no mercy or respect and went for the kill eight minutes from the starting whistle. Leftie Caner Erkin opened scoring for the Lions in the eighth minute, and attacking midfielder Barış Özbek scored in the 18th and 23rd to give Galatasaray a resounding 3-0 lead at halftime.
Teenager Emre Çolak hit a double for the Lions from deadballs -- through a penalty kick in the 62nd minute after teammate Ayhan Akman was felled in the box and three minutes later from a free kick that deflected into the back of the net. Denizli Belediyespor’s consolation goal was scored by Volkan Kabadayı in the 50th minute.
Though predictions in the Ziraat Turkish Cup, dubbed “the tournament of upsets,” more often than not come to naught, it seems very likely that the Storm and the Lions will advance from this group while Ankaragücü, Orduspor and Denizli Belediyespor will be eliminated.
The Bursa Green Crocs shot themselves in the foot by squandering a first-half lead to draw 1-1 away with Denizlispor proper in Group C, while Sivasspor showed staying power by coming from behind twice to beat Giresunspor 4-3 in the same group.
Both Bursaspor and Sivasspor have seven points apiece, and this gives added importance to their match on Jan. 27. Denizlispor, with five points, also stands a chance of advancing if it can beat Mersin İ.Y. by a wide margin.
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