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‘Wounded’ Lions cement their lead in Super League
Goals from captain-playmaker Arda Turan in the 32nd minute, second half goals by Ivory Coast winger Abdul Kader Keita (75th and 86th) and a penalty that was converted by Brazil striker Joao Alves in the 85th ensured that the wounded Lions will remain firmly on top of the 17-team league for the second week running. Kasımpaşa’s consolation goal came from midfielder Yekta Kurtulus in the 65th.
After their elimination from Europe last Thursday, Galatasaray Dutch coach Frank Rijkaard said that since they now have only the league to play for, it is incumbent upon them to win “in order to appease our disillusioned fans.”
And the Dutchman really meant what he said, as the Lions took the game to poor Kasımpaşa, popularly known as Paşa, from the moment referee Mustafa Kamil Abitoğlu blew the whistle for kickoff at 7 p.m.
The first half ended with Galatasaray leading 1-0, but the Lions could have scored a hatful of goals if their attacking force, led by Jo, Giovani Dos Santos and co., was less erratic in front of goal.
The second half was almost a carbon copy of the first, with the Lions attacking nonstop and Paşa relying on occasional counterattacks. Soccer is no meritocracy, so Kasımpaşa got the equalizer in the 65th, against the run of play in a goalmouth scramble.
If only Yılmaz Vural’ş Paşa had not equalized, because thereafter it was Galatasaray all the way, and the goals began to began to rain in.
Keita’s spectacular volley in the 75th made the score 2-1, Jo scored from the penalty spot in 85th to make it 3-1 after he himself was pulled from behind by defender Koray Avci, who got a direct red for this infringement, and Keita scored a minute later to put the match beyond reach.
“This team [Galatasaray] can only get better,” Rijkaard said in his post-match press conference. “And the league is becoming more interesting because Bursaspor, Fenerbahçe and Beşiktaş are also contending for the championship,” he added.
In other Super League action on Sunday, Ankaragücü beat Gençlerbirliği 1-0 in the Ankara derby, Gaziantepspor and Eskişehirspor drew 1-1 and Manisaspor pipped visiting Diyarbakırspor 2-1.
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