After a dismal start to the season, the Black Eagles seem to have pulled themselves out of their mysterious slump with three straight Super League victories -- the latest casualty being Eskişehirspor, who they beat 1-0 away last weekend. The Eagles also earned their first Champions League point after a 0-0 away draw with VfL Wolfsburg last Wednesday.
Everyone at Beşiktaş is smiling again and coach Mustafa Denizli has said the worst seems to over. German midfielder Fabian Ernst, who was red carded in the week nine home match against Kasımpaşa, will almost certainly be back this evening having served out his one-match suspension. But Italian defender Matteo Farrari, who got a direct red in that same match, is definitely out.
If the fifth-place Black Eagles, as expected, can beat inconsistent Ankaragücü, which is placed 11th, then they will move up within reach of the league frontrunners. “The worst seems to be over, and we are approaching our desired form,” Denizli said this week. “And we hope to keep up our winning ways,” he added.
 A scene from the Antalyaspor-Bursaspor Super League match in the second half last season, which Bursaspor won 2-1. The two teams meet again in Antalya today. |
Ankaragücü, idle last weekend, knows its faces a formidable task against the Eagles. But the Ankara lads are not expected to lie face down and let Beşiktaş roll over them. The team, which crushed Galatasaray 3-0 in Ankara in week eight, is always capable of springing a surprise attack.
Antalyaspor hosts rampaging Crocs
Midtable Antalyaspor hopes to halt the rampaging second-place Bursa Green Crocs when the two teams meet at Antalya’s Atatürk Stadium this evening.
Şifo Mehmet’s Antalya lads, their morale boosted by last weekend’s 2-1 away victory over newcomer Manisaspor, think they can upset the Super League odds and stun Ertuğrul Sağlam’s Crocs. Mehmet said this week they have deep respect for the Crocs but are not afraid of them.
“We are going to treat Bursaspor with utmost respect,” he stated. “That’s the way it should be because they are our guests. But on the pitch, we will do what has to be done,” Şifo Mehmet added, alluding to an Antalya home victory today.
It is said, “If wishes were horses, beggars would ride,” therefore the Antalya coach is free to make a wish. But the fact of the matter is that Bursaspor is championship material.
The Crocs may have shown signs of a slump on Wednesday, when they needed a late penalty to beat Güngören Büyükşehir Belediyespor 1-0 in the Ziraat Turkish Cup second round playoffs, but with seven wins, one draw, two losses and 22 points in 10 Super League outings, the Crocs may be too tough a nut for Şifo Mehmet’s Antalyaspor to crack.
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