Facing a shortage of strikers, lame Lions bank hopes on Arda

Democratic Republic of the Congo forward Shabani Christophe Nonda has been released by the Galatasaray club and therefore has become a free agent. Czech striker Milan Baros and Aussie winger Harry Kewell were at the club’s infirmary and have been joined by newly signed Brazil forward Joao Alves, who picked up a knock in the Ziraat Turkish Cup match against the Antalyaspor Scorpions on Wednesday night, which the Galatasaray Lions lost 2-1.

Apart from goal scorers, the Lions have injury problems here, there and everywhere. Along with Jo, young keeper Ufuk Ceylan and leftie Caner Erkin were also injured in Wednesday’s match. Sweeper Mehmet Topal and defender Hakan Kadir Balta are the other players on the long injury list, and most of these players are doubtful for today.

Can a tree make a forest?

To make matters worse, newly signed 20-year-old Mexico forward Giovani Dos Santos Ramirez is struggling badly for form, meaning the fate of Galatasaray this evening will rest on the shoulders of young captain-winger Arda Turan.

Arda was a member of the Galatasaray team that was beaten by Antalyaspor on Wednesday and could not single-handedly snatch a draw from the jaws of defeat, let alone win.

So what will become of the Lions if Arda, as expected, is closely marked by Kayseri defenders?

There are more questions than answers. But the truth of the matter is that there are serious doubts Arda alone will be able to reinvigorate the toothless Lions against the rampaging Kayseri Tigers, who are also within reach of this season’s league title.

“We have put the Antalya defeat behind us and are looking forward to the Kayseri match,” Galatasaray’s Dutch coach Frank Rijkaard said. “It is not going to be an easy match, so we are concentrating on that match and disregarding anything that will distract our attention,” he further noted.

Long evening in Kayseri

Though no soccer match is ever won or lost before it is actually played, the truth remains that Rijkaard and his Lions face a long evening in Kayseri.

One man’s misfortune is another man’s opportunity, so Tolunay Kafkas’ Tigers are lying in ambush at Kadir Has, ready to maul the Lions and capitalize on their woes.

Kayserispor is fourth in the 17-team league standings with 38 points from 19 matches, trailing leader Fenerbahçe by only five points. And the Tigers will establish themselves as solid title contenders if they can extract the maximum points from this evening’s home match. Having made an early exit from the Ziraat Turkish Cup, the Tigers only have the league to play for and are taking it very seriously.

The other Super League match this evening is between Eskişehirspor and İstanbul Büyükşehir Belediyespor at the Eskişehir Atatürk Stadium.

Match-ups at a glance 

 14:00 Eskişehirspor-İstanbul BşB Referee: İlker Meral

 19:00 Kayserispor-Galatasaray Referee: Tolga Özkalfa

Live on LİG TV

19:00 Kayserispor-Galatasaray