All 18 teams in topflight Turkish football have chosen Antalya and its environs to prepare for both the cup and the second half of the league season. Defending champion Bursaspor is at the Topkapı Villa Otel in Kundu; leader Trabzonspor at Gloria Golf in Belek; Fenerbahçe at Arcadia in Belek; Beşiktaş at Gloria Serenity in Belek; Galatasaray at Rixos Lares in Kundu; while Antalyaspor is training at its own facilities.
The 18 clubs in the Spor Toto Super League are currently storming both the domestic and international transfer market for players to boost the standard of play of their respective teams before the one-month January transfer window closes. Hence there is bound to be plenty of selling and buying, sooner rather than later, as the teams will be busy offloading the redundant players and replacing them with new ones. The second half of the league season will resume on Friday, Jan. 21, with Besiktas hosting newcomer Bucaspor at the İnönü Stadium in İstanbul. But before that there will be the Ziraat Turkish Cup matches between Jan. 11 and Jan. 17 to play for.
Source: Turkish zaman wire
Monday, January 3, 2011
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Bursaspor earns their first point in the last match of Champions League!
Sercan Yıldırım's second-half equalizer gave Bursaspor a 1-1 draw with Rangers on Tuesday, the only point the Turkish titleholder collected in Group C of the Champions League, the Associated Press reported.
The Turkish international striker collected a pass from Ozan İpek to shoot past goalkeeper Allan McGregor in the 79th minute.
Rangers led through Kenny Miller's 19th-minute strike, smashing in a cross from Steven Whittaker into the top corner.
Rangers finished third in the group with six points and will play in the Europa League. It will be the first time the Scottish club continues in European competition after Christmas since 2007, when it lost 2-0 in the UEFA Cup final to Zenit. St Petersburg.
Bursaspor came last in the group after losses in all five previous games. Manchester United and Valencia went through in that order to the last 16.
"We played well: we got into positions, we got the goal and then created even more chances," Bursaspor coach Ertuğrul Sağlam said after the game. "We did everything we could against a team which played so defensively. I can guarantee that next year, if we qualify, we will perform much better."
Saglam had made eight changes to his starting lineup, including leaving out winger Volkan Şen, who was sent off for protesting against a yellow card during Bursaspor's Turkish Spor Toto Super League defeat against Beşiktaş at the weekend.
Rangers manager Walter Smith fielded his regular team despite having already secured qualification to the second-tier club competition, although Darren Cole was given a debut.
Bursaspor dominated most of the possession, with Yıldırım driving the home side forward. Rangers' goal came against the run of play and ensured the visitors led into halftime.
Bursaspor coach Sağlam brought on Ömer Erdoğan and Pablo Batalla to start the second half, and the hosts kept up the pressure as Bekir Ozan and Batalla both came close soon after the interval.
Teammate Frederico Insua sent a free kick narrowly over on the crossbar in the 75th minute.
Four minutes later, the hosts were rewarded for their pressure - Yıldırım collecting the cross from the left flank and finding the net despite McGregor getting a hand on the ball.
Yıldırım almost made it 2-1 soon after, dribbling into the box but failing to hit the target.
"We applied pressure but we just could not find the second goal," Yıldırım said. "If we had, things would have been better for us."
Still, the draw was enough to save Bursaspor from joining an unwanted group of teams finishing the Champions League campaigns with losing all their matches. Previously, eight teams, including Turkey’s Fenerbahçe have lost all of their group matches in the competition.
Sercan was later named man of the match by the official website of the UEFA and said he savors that honor.
"To be named man of the match is a great honor, especially as I'm just 20 years old and the Champions League is such a massive competition," the forward was quoted as saying on the website. "I have had a taste and I'd love to have more. We have learned a lot during this campaign and I hope Bursaspor can take part in the competition again in the near future and improve by doing so."
Rangers’ striker Steven Naismith, who scored the winner in the two teams’ first meeting in the Group C, also had time for Turkish champion.
"Maybe Bursaspor was naive in some of their previous games, but they're a good team with quality players and I'm sure we'll see them again in the Champions League,” the Scot said.
Bursaspor, which is the first team in 26 years to bring the Turkish title out of Istanbul, is currently second in the Super League standings. The Crocs also became the first Turkish team that is not from Istanbul to compete in the Champions League. Previously, Trabzonspor and Sivasspor played in the preliminary rounds of the competition through the runner-up spot in the Super League, but failed to make it to the Champions League.
The Turkish international striker collected a pass from Ozan İpek to shoot past goalkeeper Allan McGregor in the 79th minute.
Rangers led through Kenny Miller's 19th-minute strike, smashing in a cross from Steven Whittaker into the top corner.
Rangers finished third in the group with six points and will play in the Europa League. It will be the first time the Scottish club continues in European competition after Christmas since 2007, when it lost 2-0 in the UEFA Cup final to Zenit. St Petersburg.
Bursaspor came last in the group after losses in all five previous games. Manchester United and Valencia went through in that order to the last 16.
"We played well: we got into positions, we got the goal and then created even more chances," Bursaspor coach Ertuğrul Sağlam said after the game. "We did everything we could against a team which played so defensively. I can guarantee that next year, if we qualify, we will perform much better."
Saglam had made eight changes to his starting lineup, including leaving out winger Volkan Şen, who was sent off for protesting against a yellow card during Bursaspor's Turkish Spor Toto Super League defeat against Beşiktaş at the weekend.
Rangers manager Walter Smith fielded his regular team despite having already secured qualification to the second-tier club competition, although Darren Cole was given a debut.
Bursaspor dominated most of the possession, with Yıldırım driving the home side forward. Rangers' goal came against the run of play and ensured the visitors led into halftime.
Bursaspor coach Sağlam brought on Ömer Erdoğan and Pablo Batalla to start the second half, and the hosts kept up the pressure as Bekir Ozan and Batalla both came close soon after the interval.
Teammate Frederico Insua sent a free kick narrowly over on the crossbar in the 75th minute.
Four minutes later, the hosts were rewarded for their pressure - Yıldırım collecting the cross from the left flank and finding the net despite McGregor getting a hand on the ball.
Yıldırım almost made it 2-1 soon after, dribbling into the box but failing to hit the target.
"We applied pressure but we just could not find the second goal," Yıldırım said. "If we had, things would have been better for us."
Still, the draw was enough to save Bursaspor from joining an unwanted group of teams finishing the Champions League campaigns with losing all their matches. Previously, eight teams, including Turkey’s Fenerbahçe have lost all of their group matches in the competition.
Sercan was later named man of the match by the official website of the UEFA and said he savors that honor.
"To be named man of the match is a great honor, especially as I'm just 20 years old and the Champions League is such a massive competition," the forward was quoted as saying on the website. "I have had a taste and I'd love to have more. We have learned a lot during this campaign and I hope Bursaspor can take part in the competition again in the near future and improve by doing so."
Rangers’ striker Steven Naismith, who scored the winner in the two teams’ first meeting in the Group C, also had time for Turkish champion.
"Maybe Bursaspor was naive in some of their previous games, but they're a good team with quality players and I'm sure we'll see them again in the Champions League,” the Scot said.
Bursaspor, which is the first team in 26 years to bring the Turkish title out of Istanbul, is currently second in the Super League standings. The Crocs also became the first Turkish team that is not from Istanbul to compete in the Champions League. Previously, Trabzonspor and Sivasspor played in the preliminary rounds of the competition through the runner-up spot in the Super League, but failed to make it to the Champions League.
Monday, December 6, 2010
TURKEY U-17 NATIONAL TEAM BEAT U.S 17 NATIONAL TEAM AND WON THE CHAMPIONSHIP
WATCH THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MATCH.......
The U.S. U-17 Men’s National Team finished the 2010 Nike International Friendlies with a 2-0 loss to tournament champion Turkey. Goals on either side of halftime from Ahmet Yilmaz Calik and Enver Cenk Sahin were enough to give Turkey the win and seven points from their three games.
After starting the tournament with a 2-1 win against Korea Republic, the U.S. put up a hard fought scoreless draw with Brazil on Friday evening. Coming into the final game, both teams knew that the winner would also win the trophy.
In front of more than 2,000 fans at the Reach 11 Sports Complex, both teams came out looking for the victory.
In the 16th minute, a Turkish counter attack led to the game’s first dangerous chance. Selahattin Ozcan fired a hard shot that forced U.S. goalkeeper Kendall McIntosh into an athletic save in his first appearance in Phoenix.
Just a minute later, Turkey broke through for the first goal of the game. From a corner kick taken from the left side, the ball fell to the near post, was flicked on and smacked off the far post. Calik was there for the rebound and got off a solid header that beat McIntosh.
Mario Rodriguez, who was dangerous in all three games, drew a number of fouls as the Turkish defense had clearly set out to shut down the U.S. striker. The most dangerous opportunity of the game for the U.S. came after Rodriguez was pulled down and Turkey defender Taha Can Velioglu was sent off for the challenge in the 61st minute.
Marc Pelosi stepped up to take the ensuing free kick and hit it hard toward the upper right corner of the goal, but goalkeeper Sercan Sen came up with a brilliant overhand save that got just enough of the ball to tip it into the crossbar. The rebound popped out to Nathan Smith, but his header toward the far post was picked off by Sen, who had recovered his position quickly after the impressive save.
With the U.S. pressing and keeping players forward, Turkey was able to pounce on a giveaway to start a counterattack. The ball moved forward to Sahin, who ran past the last U.S. defender on a dead sprint and moved around McIntosh to the left. His final shot was impressive, knocking the ball into the far side netting while moving the opposite direction.
The 2010 Nike International Friendlies marked the first time that the event, held annually since 2003, was played as a tournament and crowned a champion. With the loss, the U.S. finished in third place with a 1-1-1 record. Brazil finished second with one win and two draws and Korea Republic finished in fourth place with three losses.
Lineups
USA: 18-Kendall McIntosh; 3-Kellyn Acosta (13-Paul Arriola), 2-Andrew Souders, 6-Mobi Fehr, 4-Nathan Smith (19-Daniel Flores); 16-Dillon Serna (8-Esteban Rodriguez), 5-Tarik Salkicic, 7-Matt Dunn, 11-Marc Pelosi; 9-Mario Rodriguez
Subs not used: 1-Fernando Pina, 10-Alejandro Guido, 12-Joe Amon, 14-Alessandro Mion, 15-Luis Martir, 17-Andrew Oliver, 19-Daniel Flores
Head coach: Wilmer Cabrera
TUR: 1-Sercan Sen, 2-Selahattin Ozcan, 3-Aykut Guler, 4-Taha Can Velioglu, 5-Ahmet Yilmaz Calik, 7-Kadir Ari (17-Okan Deniz), 8-Okay Yokuslu, 9-Ibrahim Yllmaz (19-Berk Ismail Unsal), 10-Recep Niyaz (6-Hakan Calhanoglu), 14-Mehmet Erkut Senturk (13-Burak Yilmaz), 20-Enver Cenk Sahin (18-Tugay Kacar)
Subs not used: 12-Yusuf Mersin, 11-Beykan Simsek, 15-Ilkay Durmus, 16-Burak Kardes, 18-Tugay Kacar
Turkey U17 National Team Squad:
Burak YILMAZ
Beşiktaş A.Ş.
Kadir ARİ
Beşiktaş A.Ş.
Mehmet Erkut ŞENTÜRK
Beşiktaş A.Ş.
Sercan ŞEN
Bursaspor
Okan DENİZ
Bursaspor
Taha Can VELİOĞLU
Bursaspor
İbrahim YILMAZ
Büyükşehir Bld.Spor
Enver Cenk ŞAHİN
Büyükşehir Bld.Spor
Recep NİYAZ
Fenerbahçe
Beykan ŞİMŞEK
Fenerbahçe
Selahattin ÖZCAN
Gençlerbirliği
Ahmet Yılmaz ÇALIK
Gençlerbirliği
Okay YOKUŞLU
Altay
Tugay KACAR
Denizlispor
Aykut GÜLER
Gaziosmanpaşa
Berk İsmail ÜNSAL
Gaziosmanpaşa
Hakan ÇALHANOĞLU
Karlsruher SC
Yusuf MERSİN
Millwall
Burak KARDEŞ
PSV Eindhoven
İlkay DURMUŞ
TSG 1899 Hoffenheim
Source: ussoccer.com
The U.S. U-17 Men’s National Team finished the 2010 Nike International Friendlies with a 2-0 loss to tournament champion Turkey. Goals on either side of halftime from Ahmet Yilmaz Calik and Enver Cenk Sahin were enough to give Turkey the win and seven points from their three games.
After starting the tournament with a 2-1 win against Korea Republic, the U.S. put up a hard fought scoreless draw with Brazil on Friday evening. Coming into the final game, both teams knew that the winner would also win the trophy.
In front of more than 2,000 fans at the Reach 11 Sports Complex, both teams came out looking for the victory.
In the 16th minute, a Turkish counter attack led to the game’s first dangerous chance. Selahattin Ozcan fired a hard shot that forced U.S. goalkeeper Kendall McIntosh into an athletic save in his first appearance in Phoenix.
Just a minute later, Turkey broke through for the first goal of the game. From a corner kick taken from the left side, the ball fell to the near post, was flicked on and smacked off the far post. Calik was there for the rebound and got off a solid header that beat McIntosh.
Mario Rodriguez, who was dangerous in all three games, drew a number of fouls as the Turkish defense had clearly set out to shut down the U.S. striker. The most dangerous opportunity of the game for the U.S. came after Rodriguez was pulled down and Turkey defender Taha Can Velioglu was sent off for the challenge in the 61st minute.
Marc Pelosi stepped up to take the ensuing free kick and hit it hard toward the upper right corner of the goal, but goalkeeper Sercan Sen came up with a brilliant overhand save that got just enough of the ball to tip it into the crossbar. The rebound popped out to Nathan Smith, but his header toward the far post was picked off by Sen, who had recovered his position quickly after the impressive save.
With the U.S. pressing and keeping players forward, Turkey was able to pounce on a giveaway to start a counterattack. The ball moved forward to Sahin, who ran past the last U.S. defender on a dead sprint and moved around McIntosh to the left. His final shot was impressive, knocking the ball into the far side netting while moving the opposite direction.
The 2010 Nike International Friendlies marked the first time that the event, held annually since 2003, was played as a tournament and crowned a champion. With the loss, the U.S. finished in third place with a 1-1-1 record. Brazil finished second with one win and two draws and Korea Republic finished in fourth place with three losses.
Lineups
USA: 18-Kendall McIntosh; 3-Kellyn Acosta (13-Paul Arriola), 2-Andrew Souders, 6-Mobi Fehr, 4-Nathan Smith (19-Daniel Flores); 16-Dillon Serna (8-Esteban Rodriguez), 5-Tarik Salkicic, 7-Matt Dunn, 11-Marc Pelosi; 9-Mario Rodriguez
Subs not used: 1-Fernando Pina, 10-Alejandro Guido, 12-Joe Amon, 14-Alessandro Mion, 15-Luis Martir, 17-Andrew Oliver, 19-Daniel Flores
Head coach: Wilmer Cabrera
TUR: 1-Sercan Sen, 2-Selahattin Ozcan, 3-Aykut Guler, 4-Taha Can Velioglu, 5-Ahmet Yilmaz Calik, 7-Kadir Ari (17-Okan Deniz), 8-Okay Yokuslu, 9-Ibrahim Yllmaz (19-Berk Ismail Unsal), 10-Recep Niyaz (6-Hakan Calhanoglu), 14-Mehmet Erkut Senturk (13-Burak Yilmaz), 20-Enver Cenk Sahin (18-Tugay Kacar)
Subs not used: 12-Yusuf Mersin, 11-Beykan Simsek, 15-Ilkay Durmus, 16-Burak Kardes, 18-Tugay Kacar
Turkey U17 National Team Squad:
Burak YILMAZ
Beşiktaş A.Ş.
Kadir ARİ
Beşiktaş A.Ş.
Mehmet Erkut ŞENTÜRK
Beşiktaş A.Ş.
Sercan ŞEN
Bursaspor
Okan DENİZ
Bursaspor
Taha Can VELİOĞLU
Bursaspor
İbrahim YILMAZ
Büyükşehir Bld.Spor
Enver Cenk ŞAHİN
Büyükşehir Bld.Spor
Recep NİYAZ
Fenerbahçe
Beykan ŞİMŞEK
Fenerbahçe
Selahattin ÖZCAN
Gençlerbirliği
Ahmet Yılmaz ÇALIK
Gençlerbirliği
Okay YOKUŞLU
Altay
Tugay KACAR
Denizlispor
Aykut GÜLER
Gaziosmanpaşa
Berk İsmail ÜNSAL
Gaziosmanpaşa
Hakan ÇALHANOĞLU
Karlsruher SC
Yusuf MERSİN
Millwall
Burak KARDEŞ
PSV Eindhoven
İlkay DURMUŞ
TSG 1899 Hoffenheim
Source: ussoccer.com
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Turkey's Under 17 National Team plays against U.S Under 17 National Team for a Championship.
Turkey and United States ones again will face each other in the Nike Friendlies International Cup,which takes place in Phoenix, Arizona in the tournaments final match on Sunday at 5 PM, ET.
After both teams played for scoreless draw against soccer power Brazil's under 17 national team, Brazil was knock out from playing Championship match....
Turkey first draw with Brazil than beat S. Korea 2-1 on Friday ....
On the same note , Unites States under 17 national team did exactly what Turkey done....
Beat S, Korea and tied with Brazil on Friday night....
The United States U-17 national team out-performed its Brazilian counterparts in much of Friday
night's Nike International Friendlies tournament match at Reach 11 Sports Complex.
United States will play Turkey on Sunday in what has turned out to be the tournament championship game.
Turkey and Unites States end up with dead even 4 points in the standings...
Turkey's under 17 National team is coached by former Turkish National team player who use to play for Trabzonspor and Fenerbahce, Abdullah Ercan.
The match will be broadcast live on Fox soccer channel on Sunday at 5 PM.ET.
After both teams played for scoreless draw against soccer power Brazil's under 17 national team, Brazil was knock out from playing Championship match....
Turkey first draw with Brazil than beat S. Korea 2-1 on Friday ....
On the same note , Unites States under 17 national team did exactly what Turkey done....
Beat S, Korea and tied with Brazil on Friday night....
The United States U-17 national team out-performed its Brazilian counterparts in much of Friday
night's Nike International Friendlies tournament match at Reach 11 Sports Complex.
United States will play Turkey on Sunday in what has turned out to be the tournament championship game.
Turkey and Unites States end up with dead even 4 points in the standings...
Turkey's under 17 National team is coached by former Turkish National team player who use to play for Trabzonspor and Fenerbahce, Abdullah Ercan.
The match will be broadcast live on Fox soccer channel on Sunday at 5 PM.ET.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Besiktas Returns From Porto with Golden Point!
We saw two diffrent Besiktas on the pitch again...
First half, really bad Besiktas and bad goal keepeing by Hakan Arikan!
But in the second half,after Holosko came in to the match, He made a huge diffrence, on team's attacking football...
Besiktas, I think , missed the three points...
Wood works, saved FC Porto on Thursday night...
In the 35th minute. Porto scored the goal thanks to Hakan Arikan!
HAKAN Arikan came out brought down Falcao and from the resulting penalty,
And Falcao took the kick and scored..
In the second half of the match, things livened up in the 59th minute when
a spat between Rodriguez and Ibrahim Uzulmez saw both players booked
That was Rodriguez's second time and he was shown the red.
Two minutes later Besiktas were level, Nihat picking the ball up from deep and launching a 30-yard rocket which left Helton with no chance.
The numbers were evened up by the 66th-minute dismissal of Ibrahim Toraman for a second booking.
So, for close to twenty minutes both of the teams played man down!
Bobo fired one over the bar for Besiktas in the 70th minute, I sware that could have been the "goal of the year" in the Europa League, if it went in!
Bob came even closer four minutes later when he smashed a volley against the bar from all of 35 yards....
All in all, Besiktas missed the oppurtunity to earn a win and three points but, this was a golden one point for Besiktas in Porto.
First half, really bad Besiktas and bad goal keepeing by Hakan Arikan!
But in the second half,after Holosko came in to the match, He made a huge diffrence, on team's attacking football...
Besiktas, I think , missed the three points...
Wood works, saved FC Porto on Thursday night...
In the 35th minute. Porto scored the goal thanks to Hakan Arikan!
HAKAN Arikan came out brought down Falcao and from the resulting penalty,
And Falcao took the kick and scored..
In the second half of the match, things livened up in the 59th minute when
a spat between Rodriguez and Ibrahim Uzulmez saw both players booked
That was Rodriguez's second time and he was shown the red.
Two minutes later Besiktas were level, Nihat picking the ball up from deep and launching a 30-yard rocket which left Helton with no chance.
The numbers were evened up by the 66th-minute dismissal of Ibrahim Toraman for a second booking.
So, for close to twenty minutes both of the teams played man down!
Bobo fired one over the bar for Besiktas in the 70th minute, I sware that could have been the "goal of the year" in the Europa League, if it went in!
Bob came even closer four minutes later when he smashed a volley against the bar from all of 35 yards....
All in all, Besiktas missed the oppurtunity to earn a win and three points but, this was a golden one point for Besiktas in Porto.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
FC Porto v Besiktas Preview...
Besiktas will take on Fc Porto in Porto on Thursday night.
Besiktas allready lost to the Porto in Istnabul with 3-1 score.
Besiktas player Guti said Besiktas will be a better team in the second match.
Guti said: "We want to keep a clean sheet as that would help our ambition in this competition.
"We went through a bad spell with a lot of injuries. Now the team will have more options. It is important we go back to getting the kind of good results we achieved at the beginning of the season.''
Former Porto player now playing Besiktas Qarisma will not suit up for this match because of injury.
He did not play in the first match against Porto in Istanbul too..
A fourth straight win for Porto against Besiktas, will guarantee a place in the next stage of the competition.
Besiktas on second with six points,Rapid Vienna and CSKA Sofia occupying third and fourth place in Group L.
That is why,Besiktas can't afford to lose point or points in this match!
FC Porto 3 3 0 0 9
Besiktas 3 2 0 1 6
RapidVienna3 1 0 2 3
CSKA Sofia 3 0 0 3 0
Besiktas allready lost to the Porto in Istnabul with 3-1 score.
Besiktas player Guti said Besiktas will be a better team in the second match.
Guti said: "We want to keep a clean sheet as that would help our ambition in this competition.
"We went through a bad spell with a lot of injuries. Now the team will have more options. It is important we go back to getting the kind of good results we achieved at the beginning of the season.''
Former Porto player now playing Besiktas Qarisma will not suit up for this match because of injury.
He did not play in the first match against Porto in Istanbul too..
A fourth straight win for Porto against Besiktas, will guarantee a place in the next stage of the competition.
Besiktas on second with six points,Rapid Vienna and CSKA Sofia occupying third and fourth place in Group L.
That is why,Besiktas can't afford to lose point or points in this match!
FC Porto 3 3 0 0 9
Besiktas 3 2 0 1 6
RapidVienna3 1 0 2 3
CSKA Sofia 3 0 0 3 0
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Manchester United beats Bursaspor 3-0
Manchester United beat Turkey’s Bursaspor 3-0 in Group C of the Champions League on Tuesday to move even closer to a place in the knockout stage.
Darren Fletcher, Gabriel Obertan and youngster Bebe, with a shot which deflected in off Ali Tandogan, all scored in the second half to give United a comfortable win over last-place Bursaspor. It tops the group with 10 points, three ahead of Valencia.
Bursaspor, making its debut in the competition, remains without a point from four matches and cannot now qualify for the knockout stage.
United suffered a setback with an early knee injury to Nani, but used its controlled passing game in midfield to build up a series of attacks. Manager Alex Ferguson gave a rare start to Obertan, supporting main striker Dimitar Berbatov and the combination came close to breaking the deadlock in the 10th minute. Obertan provided the flick and Berbatov supplied the volley—only for the Bulgarian’s effort to be saved by Bursa keeper Dimitar Ivankov.
Ertugrul Saglam’s team looked to hit United on the counter attack with the pace of Gokcek Vederson, Volkan Sen and Turgay Bahadir working the wings.
Bursa’s best chance of the first half came when Sercan put Bahadir through for a one-on-one with keeper Edwin Van der Sar, but the winger was unable to lob the ball over the Dutchman.
Shortly after, things looked to be turning in Bursa’s favor as Nani was replaced by Park Ji-sung after picking up a knee injury. However, neither side was able to break the deadlock.
United started the second half looking more committed and their efforts paid off in the 48th minute, when Michael Carrick found Fletcher unmarked on the right side of the box and his low shot eased past Ivankov on its way to the back of net.
Bursa almost mirrored United’s strike in the 52nd minute. However, Frederico Insua was unable to get a clear shot on goal after being put through by Sen and the Argentine’s effort was comfortably held by Van der Sar.
As Bursa surged forward in numbers, United looked more dangerous on the counter attack. On the 73rd minute Obertan caught Tandogan wrong footed after receiving a pass from Park and the Frenchman unleashed a thunderous strike to make it 2-0.
Just moments later, a clever through ball from Paul Scholes put Bebe through. The Portuguese youngster got to the ball just in time and his low shot got a slight touch from defender Tandogan before landing in the bottom corner of the net.
“We were successful with counter attacks, we got into positions and won corners. We did everything in the first half that could have been expected,” Saglam said.
“We improved from the previous games, we were finally able to get into multiple goal positions. There is of course a huge difference in player quality and football mentality between them and us,” he said.
Bursa will travel to the Mestella stadium next in search of its first goals and points against Valencia on Nov. 24, while United will hope for a speedy recovery for playmaker Nani ahead of their trip to Ibrox to face Rangers
Source: AP
Darren Fletcher, Gabriel Obertan and youngster Bebe, with a shot which deflected in off Ali Tandogan, all scored in the second half to give United a comfortable win over last-place Bursaspor. It tops the group with 10 points, three ahead of Valencia.
Bursaspor, making its debut in the competition, remains without a point from four matches and cannot now qualify for the knockout stage.
United suffered a setback with an early knee injury to Nani, but used its controlled passing game in midfield to build up a series of attacks. Manager Alex Ferguson gave a rare start to Obertan, supporting main striker Dimitar Berbatov and the combination came close to breaking the deadlock in the 10th minute. Obertan provided the flick and Berbatov supplied the volley—only for the Bulgarian’s effort to be saved by Bursa keeper Dimitar Ivankov.
Ertugrul Saglam’s team looked to hit United on the counter attack with the pace of Gokcek Vederson, Volkan Sen and Turgay Bahadir working the wings.
Bursa’s best chance of the first half came when Sercan put Bahadir through for a one-on-one with keeper Edwin Van der Sar, but the winger was unable to lob the ball over the Dutchman.
Shortly after, things looked to be turning in Bursa’s favor as Nani was replaced by Park Ji-sung after picking up a knee injury. However, neither side was able to break the deadlock.
United started the second half looking more committed and their efforts paid off in the 48th minute, when Michael Carrick found Fletcher unmarked on the right side of the box and his low shot eased past Ivankov on its way to the back of net.
Bursa almost mirrored United’s strike in the 52nd minute. However, Frederico Insua was unable to get a clear shot on goal after being put through by Sen and the Argentine’s effort was comfortably held by Van der Sar.
As Bursa surged forward in numbers, United looked more dangerous on the counter attack. On the 73rd minute Obertan caught Tandogan wrong footed after receiving a pass from Park and the Frenchman unleashed a thunderous strike to make it 2-0.
Just moments later, a clever through ball from Paul Scholes put Bebe through. The Portuguese youngster got to the ball just in time and his low shot got a slight touch from defender Tandogan before landing in the bottom corner of the net.
“We were successful with counter attacks, we got into positions and won corners. We did everything in the first half that could have been expected,” Saglam said.
“We improved from the previous games, we were finally able to get into multiple goal positions. There is of course a huge difference in player quality and football mentality between them and us,” he said.
Bursa will travel to the Mestella stadium next in search of its first goals and points against Valencia on Nov. 24, while United will hope for a speedy recovery for playmaker Nani ahead of their trip to Ibrox to face Rangers
Source: AP
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