Gençler fought back from a goal down to grab the maximum points in a thrilling Friday night encounter. Ergiç’s header goal from a corner kick in the 24th minute put the Bursa Green Crocs up 1-0.But goals in the 40th by midfielder Hurşit Meriç, acquired from the Dutch Eerste Divisie ADO Den Haag this season, and another in the 80th by 21-year-old striker Mustafa Pektemek, who joined Gençler from Sakaryaspor last season, gave the Ankara side its fifth victory in 12 league games and condemned the Crocs to their third league defeat this season.
One of the players who played a great role in Gençler’s victory was 23-year-old winger Burhan Eser, who joined the Ankara side from Diyarbakırspor in 2007. Burhan provided the pass that earned Gençler the equalizer and contributed much to the team’s attacking force throughout the game.
“It is not easy to play Bursaspor in Bursa,” Burhan said. “The support they [Bursa players] get from their home fans is incredible. And I can’t remember Gençlerbiliği winning at Bursa since I joined this club [in 2007]. The Bursa jinx is broken at last,” he further stated. “This is a very important victory for us, and I can say we have made amends for the home defeat to Manisaspor [the weekend before last],” he added.
Veteran Bursaspor defender Ömer Erdoğan rued a number of missed chances throughout the match. “We had several chances to win, but it was not to be,” said the 32-year-old. “In the final analysis, we lost a match, but this is by no means the end of the world.”