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Super League playoffs taking shape after Eagles down Crocs
But that misfortune did not stop the Black Eagles, as Carlos Carvalhal’s Beşiktaş is called, from mauling Ertuğrul Sağlam’s Green Crocs of Bursa 3-1 and keep their playoff hopes alive.
The writing was already on the wall after just seven minutes, when Portugal striker Hugo Almeida headed home a Necip Uysal cross to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead.
Argentine midfielder Pablo Martin Batalla got the equalizer for Bursa in the 36th, but Brazilian midfielder Edu was on target two minutes later to make the score 2-1 for the Eagles. And a goal from striker Mustafa Pektemek, acquired from Ankara’s Gençlerbirliği this season, sealed the deal: Beşiktaş 3, Bursaspor 1.
League leader Galatasaray, which beat Kardemir Karabükspor 5-1 at home on Saturday, is also a favorite for a playoff berth, so is defending champion Fenerbahçe. And Trabzonspor, which walloped Samsunspor 4-0 on Sunday, is also expected to make the four-team league championship playoffs at the end of the regular season. This means the “Big Four” are favored to progress to the playoffs, something that is likely to make the league sponsors and broadcaster very happy indeed.
Tense situation
Whenever or wherever the Eagles and the Crocs clash, it is always a tense situation and Sunday’s game lived up to that tradition. The only difference this time around was that the tension was only on the pitch.
“Tense,” maybe, is an understatement when describing Beşiktaş-Bursaspor matches, which have all too often been characterized by a free-for-all and pitched battles among the belligerent fans. Bursaspor fans were banned from Fiyapı İnonü and women and children brought into the section of the stands that would have been allocated to the Bursa crowd. Therefore there were no reports of unruly incidents in and around the stadium or on İstanbul squares.
Beşiktaş beat Bursaspor 2-1 in week three at Bursa on Sept. 22, 2011, and Sunday’s result means the Black Eagles have completed a sweep of the Green Crocs in the Spor Toto Super League this season. And if the two teams are not pitted against each other in the domestic Ziraat Turkish Cup, then Beşiktaş-Bursaspor football hatred will be shelved until next season.
Will the enmity ever end?
Bursaspor holds Beşiktaş responsible for its relegation in the 2003-04 season, something the Black Eagles outright deny. But that has been enough to turn old friends into foes for eight years. “We played against a strong team and won,” Beşiktaş coach Carlos Carvalhal said. “They [Bursaspor] were going through a good period. But we prepared well for this match and trained on how and when to put pressure on them. And we succeeded,” he added.
Beşiktaş faces Medical Park Antalyaspor away in week 21 this week, and without injured Sivok and suspended Egemen Korkmaz the Eagles defense might come under very heavy pressure.
Sunday’s results at a glance
Mersin 0, Antalyaspor 2
Orduspor 1, İstanbul BB 0
Sivasspor 3, Ankaragücü 0
Trabzonspor 4, Samsunspor 0
Beşiktaş 3, Bursaspor 1
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