Lions remain official leaders, Crocs the unofficial

The Bursaspor Green Crocs are the unofficial leaders because they have 52 points from 24 games and are anxiously waiting a 3-0 victory and three points by default from their suspended match in Diyarbakır the Saturday before last. The Turkish Soccer Federation (TFF) is expected to clear the air this week.

The Green Crocs were the first in action on Sunday, when they welcomed the relegation-threatened Manisaspor Tarzans to the packed Bursa Atatürk Stadium. The Crocs showed they meant business, shutting out the hapless Tarzans 2-0 to prove beyond doubt that they are the hottest contenders for this season’s league championship.

Keeper Ivankov becomes a legend

Renowned goal-scoring goalkeeper Dimitar Ivankov converted a penalty in the 45th minute to put Bursaspor up 1-0. And the 30-something Bulgaria keeper has now gone into the world soccer record books.

Ivankov has scored six goals for Bursa since he joined the club in 2008, bringing his career total to 41, equaling that of former erratic Colombia goalkeeper José René Higuita Zapata.

Back to Bursa, Germany-born veteran defender Ömer Erdoğan doubled the score for the Crocs with a header goal one minute before the end of regulation time (89th). “We still have the advantage and won’t it let go,” young Bursaspor coach Ertuğrul Saglam said. His players, teen striker Sercan Yıldırım and Ömer concurred.

Revenge and redemption for Lions

“Self-destructive Lions seek revenge, redemption at Ali Sami Yen,” was our headline to the preview of the Galatasaray-Ankaragücü match on Sunday, and the Lions got both.

By beating Ankaragücü, the Lions avenge their 3-0 away loss to the Ankara side in week 8, which was also their first league defeat of the season. The victory also means the Lions have redeemed themselves from another week of merciless bashing from the doomsayers in the local sports media following the Eskişehir debacle in week 24.

Goals from Brazil striker Joao Alves in the third minute, Ivory Coast winger Abdul Kader Keita -- man of the match -- in the 37th and Czech Republic forward Milan Baros in the 91st gave the Lions a well-deserved win and three precious points. This was Baros’ first appearance since he suffered a broken foot in the “mother of all derbies” against Fenerbahçe in week 10.

This morale boosting victory put the Lions back on top of the table again, and they will remain there as the official leaders until the TFF decides on the Bursa case.

“It was a very good result,” Galatasaray’s Dutch coach Frank Rijkaard said. “Of course, we played well, but we should keep it up. It is a good thing that Baros is back again and we have begun scoring with ease again,” he further stated.

“The lion and the unicorn are fighting for the crown,” is a popular preschool lyric. There is no unicorn in the Turkcell Super League, so it is the Lions and the Crocs fighting for the crown. That is the situation on the ground at the moment, but with nine matches to go anything can happen.

Other Super League marches on Sunday