FORMER FENERBAHCE PLAYER ANELKA TAKES CHELSEA ON TOP

The Former Fenerbahce player Anelka,who had four goals in his last two Premier League games going into the match at Ewood Park, added his 10th and 11th notches of the season as Luis Felipe Scolari celebrated his 60th birthday in style.

In appalling conditions at Ewood Park, it was Blackburn who made the brighter start with Keith Andrews lifting a shot high over the bar in the first minute.

But the Blues were soon on the front foot and Andrews' poor back pass let Anelka in on goal. When the striker rounded Paul Robinson, a goal looked inevitable. However, Anelka lost his footing after skipping past the England goalkeeper, and despite appeals for a penalty, Chris Foy correctly waved play on.

Blackburn again had Robinson to thank when he expertly saved Anelka's header and then again from John Obi Mikel, before another fine save denied Frank Lampard's 25-yard effort.

But the Blues finally made the breakthrough five minutes before the interval in freakish circumstances when Alex's long-distance strike struck Anelka's thigh and trickled past the wrong-footed Robinson.

Rovers brought on Matt Derbyshire at the interval and the youngster gave Rovers attack added impetus, with Morten Gamst Pedersen trying his luck from range.

But Jason Roberts then spurned a gilt-edged chance to restore parity when Pedersen played the striker through on goal, with Petr Cech quickly scampering out of his goal to block his shot.

Rovers were made to pay for that miss on 68 minutes when Lampard poked the ball through to Anelka and he reacted quickly to dink the ball over the advancing Robinson to double the Blues' lead.

Chelsea had further chances to add to their lead with Lampard's free-kick crashing against the crossbar, and Anelka being denied a hat-trick by a fine block from Robinson.

But the three points put the Blues back on top of the pile while Blackburn - now six league games without a win - remain 14th, two points clear of the drop zone.

Source: Wires

SUNDAY ROUND-UP IN THE TURKISH SUPER LEAGUE

Galatasaray's Servet Cetin (R) fights for the ball with Guiza of Fenerbahce during their Turkey Super League soccer derby match at Sukru Saracoglu Stadium in Istanbul November 9, 2008.
(REUTERS)

FENERBAHCE WINS AT HOME AGAINST GALATASARAY...

Fenerbahce beat rivals Galatasaray 4-1.

Galatasaray scored with Lincoln after less than two minutes,

But Fenerbahce's Selcuk Sahin equalised four minutes after the opener, and an own goal from Emre Asik meant a 2-1 lead to the home side in the 28th minute.

Lugano then made it 3-1 shortly after when second half of the match started and Deivid provided the fourth and final goal in added time.

Galatasaray now find themselves in fifth place at six points from leaders Trabzonsport, while Fenerbahce are seventh at sixteen points.

Elswere on Sunday,Istanbul Büyüksehir Belediyespor beat Gaziantepspor 4-1, in Gaziantep. Ankaraspor beat Eskisehirspor 2-0 at home and moved in to second place with 22 points one point behind leader Trabzonspor and bumped Besiktas to third!,,,

Antalyaspor made it two wins under new coach Mehmet Ozdilek, with a shocking 2-1 home victory over top contender Sivasspor.
Also, Denizlispor won 1-0 at home over Kayserispor, while Konyaspor and Genclerbirliği drew 2-2, in Konya.


AHMET TURGUT

Tuncay double stuns Villa

Middlesbrough striker Tuncay Sanli scored a last-gasp winner as Gareth Southgate's side beat Aston Villa 2-1 on Sunday.

Tuncay had only scored once in six appearance this season but the Turkey international put that barren run behind him in impressive style at Villa Park.

He gave Middlesbrough the lead in the first half and, after Steve Sidwell levelled for Villa, the former Fenerbahce star grabbed the winner with two minutes to play.

That condemned Martin O'Neill's side to their second successive defeat and left them in fifth place, while mid-table Middlesbrough are now unbeaten in four matches.

Middlesbrough started well and Stewart Downing had their first meaningful attempt at goal, but his 25-yarder curled wide.

England midfielder Gareth Barry had Villa's first chance but his shot was easily saved by Ross Turnbull.

Downing was looking sharp and Afonso Alves just failed to make contact with an inviting low centre that flew across the box.

Ashley Young won a free-kick just outside the Boro box after being fouled by Jeremie Aliadiere. The winger took it himself and his strike deflected off Gary O'Neil and was tipped over the bar by Turnbull.

Barry's ensuing corner was met by Villa skipper Martin Laursen but his header skimmed past a post.

A mistake by Villa defender Nicky Shorey gifted the opening goal to Boro striker Tuncay. Downing whipped in a cross from the left flank that Shorey was first to react to but he only deflected the ball into the path of Tuncay, who crashed a low shot past Brad Friedel.

The visitors' lead lasted only three minutes before Sidwell capped an impressive game with the Villa equaliser.

Agbonlahor's initial goal-bound shot was cleared by Andrew Taylor but it was only a temporary reprieve. The ball broke to Milner on the left side of the box and his measured centre to the far post was headed in by Sidwell.

Villa made a good start to the second half and Agbonlahor sprinted clear of Riggott after running on to a pass from Barry. He burst into the Boro box but just slightly over-ran the ball and allowed Turnbull the split second to position himself and block the eventual shot.

Barry then got to the by-line and cut the ball back to Milner whose first-time drive forced a fine save out of Turnbull.

Villa were soon back on the attack and Turnbull parried away a powerful rising drive from Young.

The Villa winger was then booked for bringing down O'Neil before coming to his side's rescue by clearing a Riggott header off the line.

Alves should have won the game for Boro but shot wide with the goal at his mercy after Friedel had parried a Didier Digard drive.

But with two minutes left Tuncay cashed in on a woeful back-pass by Sidwell to steal all three points.

Source: AFP

TRABZONSPOR KEEPS THE TOP SPOT IN THE TURKISH SUPER LEAGUE

Trabzonspor retains the leagues top spot in the 10th week after beating hacettepespor in Trabzon, with only one goal.

Trabzonspor only goal scored in the 41th minute of the match by G. Colman.

Elsewhere on Saturday in the early match , Ankaragucu and Bursapor played a 1-1 draw.

On Friday, Besiktas won against Kocaelispor in Istanbul after being down 2-0 in the first fifteen minutes of the match!.....

At the end, Besiktas won the match 5-2!....


LOOKING AHEAD!....

SUPER DERBY SUNDAY......
Yes, it got to be the most important match of the first half !....

Two European-Turkish teams, Galatasaray and Fenerbahce will clash in Istanbul...

Mothers of all Derby match will take place in Fenerbahce's turf!...

But, Fenerbahce is not doing so good in the league...

They have 13 points in 9 matches...

On the other hand ,Galatasaray has 17 points in 9 matches and they are ahead of Fenerbahce in the standings!...

Both of the teams did good in the European competition matches...

Fenerbahce held Arsenal in London and Galatasaray beat Benfica in Portugal..

A loss of points for Fenerbahce will be disaster in the league!...

Actually a draw will be bad for both teams...

This is not the only important match on Sunday though!...

This seasons Surprise team Ankaraspor who sits on third with 19 points could capture the second place, from Besikta,s if they beat Eskisehirspor .....
Another Anatolian team making a top flight race, Sivaspor will be away in Antalya....

Lastly, I know I did not mention about anything, what went on during this past week with coaching "head- turning " changes!....

I have wrote this many times...................
This could only be in Turkiye!......

We are in 10th week and there hhas been, ten coaches, all ready been come and gone!..

They are Turning my head, like Dervishes!.............

I don't know who is who any more...

Just look at this week.....

Bursaspor coached resigned from Bursaspor and Will be at the helm of Genclerbirligi

Bursaspor signed Guvenc Kurtar. Hacettepe coach resigned and Erdogan Arican newly signed...

Denizlispor coach quit, and the guy who left Genclerbirligi Mesut Bakkal will sign with Denizlispor!....

Last week, Antalyaspor fired their polish coach and hired Besiktas former player Sifo Mehmet Ozdilek......

I really can't keep up with this league...

I am really losing my interest in this league...

Where is the professionalism where is the honesty!...

I just can't believe it.......


AHMET TURGUT/TURKISHSOCCER.COM/EDITOR

BESIKTAS IS LOOKING TO CAPTURE THE TOP SPOT AGAIN!..

Having suffered two consecutive defeats in the Turkcell Super League, Mustafa Denizli’s Besiktas will be looking to boost its form and morale against the hapless Kocaelispor tonight.


Beşiktaş lost its lead in the Turkcell Super League and fell to fourth spot after a 1-0 loss, the first in its campaign, at Kayserispor last Sunday. Considering the 1-1 draw against Sivasspor one week earlier, it is obvious Denizli will be looking to avoid adding another match to the unsuccessful streak.

Beşiktaş’s newly appointed coach, Denizli, seemed to have brought a fresh touch to the team, after a comfortable 3-1 victory against Gençlerbirliği in his first game at the helm. But with two winless games against two of the tougher sides in the league, the inevitable questions have started. However, the 58-year-old defended his side, saying that any team can drop points.

“We can lose points even when we are playing at our best,” said Denizli at a press conference. “That will not lead to a change of plans. I count on myself and my players when I say that.”

Denizli added that Beşiktaş was on the right track.

“What matters most for us is the way we are playing,” he explained. “If a team is doing the best it can to play well, the rest is not that important. I honestly believe that our fans are not unhappy with our performance in our games recently.”

The Turkish coach said he wanted the Beşiktaş fans to be as confident as he was. “I have no worries and want the fans to feel the same,” said Denizli. “The scale is going up for our team and there can be some losses on our way up, it does not matter that much.”

After two difficult fixtures, Beşiktaş will have a slightly easier opponent tonight. Kocaelispor, currently stuck at the bottom of the division, comes to Istanbul’s İnönü Stadium hoping for its first win of the season.

Kocaelispor is the only team that is yet to win a game and has scored only eight goals, while it has conceded a league-worst of 21 in nine games. Last year’s League One champion has only two points and is desperately seeking a win to get up out of the relegation zone.

Go to www.turkishsoccer.com web site to follow the match

BENFICA IS NO PROBLEM FOR GALATASARAY!....

Galatasaray's Umit Karan celebrates his goal against Benfica during their UEFA Cup soccer match in Lisbon …
(Reuters via Yahoo! News)




Second-half goals from Emre Asik and Umit Karan Thursday led Galatasaray to a 2-0 away victory over Benfica in the UEFA Cup.

Galatasaray extended their lead at the top of UEFA Cup Group B to 6 points with a comfortable win at Benfica on Thursday night.

Asik gave Galatasaray the initiative six minutes into the second half after the Galatasaray defender fired in Lincoln's inswinging cross.

Karan, who had an effort turned away in the 62nd, added the second goal seven minutes later, striking Arda Turan's cross from the left past Benfica goalkeeper Quim.

Benfica coach Quique Flores wanted an improved performance from his club after scraping by Guimaraes in the Portuguese league at the weekend and was counting on the return of Argentine winger Angel Di Maria to lift his side.

Di Maria and striker Nuno Gomes had chances early on before Ayhan Akman finally went close for the Turks in the 43rd. Galatasaray, without four midfielders because of injury — including Turkish internationals Hasan Sas and Mehmet Topal — made the breakthrough, however.

Sanchez Flores also brought Argentine playmaker Pablo Aimar on in the 57th for his Benfica European debut.

Benfica, which sits second in the league, saw an injury time chance blocked by Galatasaray goalkeeper Morgan de Sanctis.

Galatasaray opened Group B with a win over Olympiakos, while Benfica drew 1-1 at
Hertha Berlin.

Group B Pld Pts
Galatasaray 2 6
Hertha 2 2
Metalist 1 1
Benfica 2 1
Olympiacos 1 0

GALATASARAY LOOKING FOR DRAW IN PORTUGAL AGAINST BENFICA!..

Galatasaray will play their second game against Portugal's Benfica in UEFA Cup group stage on Thursday and are seeking at least a draw in the away game to keep the lead in Group B, but without Harry Kewell.

"Best teams of Turkey and Portugal will take the field tomorrow and we have to get good results in such games to achieve our goals," Galatasaray President Adnan Polat told reporters in Portuguese capital Lisbon on Wednesday.

"A draw would not be a bad result," Polat said.

Asked about injuries that made things difficult for coach Michael Skibbe to name the squad, Polat said, "Galatasaray will have eleven players on the field. So, I do not think we have any missing players."

Coach Skibbe did not call Harry Kewell, Aydin Yilmaz, Mehmet Topal, Emre Gungor, Shabani Nonda and Tobias Linderoth to 18-man squad against Benfica due to their injuries.

Harry Kewell scored to lead Galatasaray to a 1-0 win over Greece's Olympiakos in their first group match