Week 24, starts on Saturday in The Turkish Super League.

Only eleven weeks to go in the Turkish Super League , week 24, will begin on Saturday. The opening match of the week will be played between Elazigspor and Kasimpasa on Saturday at 13:30 pm, local Turkey time .

While Galatasaray plays on Saturday, Besiktas will play on Sunday and first place team Fenerbahce, will travel to Trabzon on Monday  to play Trabzonspor!

For Fenerbahce and Trabzonspor this match will be very important!

With a win, Trabzonspor could renew their thirst for the top four or 5 !

On the other hand, if Fenerbahce wins on Monday , it will be huge ....

So, Fenerbahce  will sit back and watch their opponents play on Saturday and Sunday ...

If Besiktas and Galatasaray win their matches, it will put a pressure on Fenerbahce on Monday !

Monday match could be very uptight in Trabzon .....

That's is why a match between Trabzonspor and Fenerbahce is the match of the week in week 24 !

 

***************************

Second place Galatasaray, who has problem winning at away matches will be at home this weekend  against Akhisar on Saturday.

Galatasaray will  miss Emre Colak and Selcuk Inan due  to  injury  and  Selcuk's yellow card suspension.

Third place Besiktas will host  Eskisehirspor on Sunday. 

 Besiktas may lack many regular players such as Tomas Sivok, Manuel Fernandes  and Almeida .

 Cameroonian center-back Dany Nounkeu owing to injuries. 

Two regulars of Besiktas, Turkish  Necip Uysal and  Atiba Hutchinson will both miss the game due to yellow card suspensions.

THE MATCH OF THE WEEK.....

Trabzonspor vs Fenerbahce !

"The match of the week " will be played between Trabzonspor and Fenerbahce on Monday. 

The clash at Trabzonspor's home ground, Huseyin Avni Aker Stadium kicks off at 20:00. 

 Trabzonspor will miss,Ivorian center back Sol Bamba, Turkish full-back Kadir Keles and Turkish forward Emre Gural will miss the match due to their injuries.

  On the other hand, Fenerbahce will not have, midfielder Cristian Baroni is suspended for the match. In addition Bruno Alves and  Pierre Webo's injuries, each are doubtful to play in the match in Trabzon.

WEEK 24......

March 8, Saturday:

Elazigspor vs Kasimpasa at 13:30

Bursaspor vs Kardemir Karabukspor at 16:00

Galatasaray vs Akhisar Belediyespor at 19:00

Kayseri Erciyesspor vs Torku Konyaspor at 19:00

March 9, Sunday:

Gaziantepspor vs Kayserispor at 13:30

Genclerbirligi vs Sivasspor at 13:30

Medical Park Antalyaspor vs Caykur Rizespor at 16:00

Besiktas vs Eskisehirspor at 19:00

March 10, Monday:

Trabzonspor vs Fenerbahce at 20:00

Pre World Cup match : USA vs Turkey !

Turkish National team will face USA in the send- off match before the World Cup tournament .

Match will take place in New York Red Bulls Arena on June, 1st , 2014 at 2 pm . 

This is the second time Turkey plays against USA in the send-off match , before the World Cup .

Last time , in 2010 , they met each other in Phidelphia ! 

Turkish National team will play against few other teams in this pre World Cup tournament in the United States .

This should be fresh start for Fatih Terim's third spell too! 

In 1995, Fatih Terim brought Turkish National team , for the first time to the North America  to Canada .

Turkey beats Sweden 2-1

Turkey's Olcan Adin, left, vies for the ball with Sweden's Pierre Bengtsson during their International Friendly soccer match at 19 Mayis Stadium in Ankara, Turkey, Wednesday, March 5, 2014. AP PHOTO

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/03/05/3676320/turkey-beats-sweden-2-1-in-friendly.html#storylink=cpy

Turkey beat Sweden 2-1 with headers from Mevlut Erdinc and substitute Olcan Adin in a friendly on Wednesday.

Erdinc powered his header into the low right corner of the net after just two minutes when Gokhan Gonul lobbed the ball in from just outside the penalty area.

Sweden piled on the pressure at the end of the first half, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic leading the attacks. The visitors equalized in the 54th minute when Ola Toivonen, who replaced Ibrahimovic at halftime, stole the ball from a careless Semih Kaya and slotted home.

Turkey went ahead again four minutes later when Caner Erkin crossed the ball from the left and Adin, who replaced Burak Yilmaz, headed in from close range.

Neither team has qualified for the World Cup in Brazil.

Source :AP

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/03/05/3676320/turkey-beats-sweden-2-1-in-friendly.html#storylink=cpy

Trabzonspor vs Juventus

It might be very difficult  for Trabzonspor as they seek to overturn a first-leg deficit and knock Juventus out of the UEFA Europa League.

Trabzonspor, still acclimating to life under Hami Mandirali, (a man who does not have a pro licence to coach)  will begin the second leg of their round-of-32 tie with being down two goals !

Trabzonspor have not beaten a Serie A side at home since 1982, and will have to better the 1-0 scoreline recorded on that occasion in a 1-0 UEFA Cup first-round victory over Inter.

However, Turkey does not exactly hold pleasant recent memories for Juventus, as it was a 1-0 defeat to Galatasaray that dumped the Italian club into the Europa League during the final round of UEFA Champions League group matches in December.

Additionally, Trabzonspor have an impressive continental record at the Huseyin Avni Aker Stadium to lift their spirits.

They are unbeaten in seven matches on home turf in Europe and had not lost in 12 UEFA games this term until they ran into Antonio Conte’s men - who are without a victory in their last four European away trips, losing three.

Nevertheless, Juventus remain firm favourites and have the considerable carrot of this season's Europa League final being staged at the Juventus Stadium

While Juventus hold a healthy advantage in their domestic league, having dropped only nine points all season, Trabzonspor have not been able to enjoy similar success.

Trabzonspor seventh in the Turkish Super Lig, 15 points behind leaders Fenerbahce, and face a battle to secure European football for next season.

See you in London : Galatasaray 1- Chelsea 1

It was two different  match ..

In the first half , Chelsea was better .

Second half was all Galatasaray ....

Chelsea found the goal in the early minutes of the match in the first half by huge mistake by midfield and defense !

Quickly after the goal, Galatasaray coach Mancini, realized that he made mistake and put Yekta in to the match ...

In the second half bringing in Semih Kaya to defense gave Galatasaray momentum .

Wesley Sneijder's hard work paid off and from his korner kick Galatasaray scored .

So last dance will be in London in two weeks !

After the match, Drogba said "we are going to London to surprise Chelsea "

It won't be easy but it will be a match to watch ...

*********************

Match report.....  

*Torres scored the first goal for Chelsea  in the knockout phase in the ninth minute after Cezar Azpilicueta cut the ball back to the striker.

*Aurelien Chedjou put the ball past goalkeeper Petr Cech in the 64th after connecting with Wesley Sneijder's corner.

**********************

The second leg of the round of 16 game is at Stamford Bridge on March 18.

Galatasaray's Sneijder : "We are ready for Chelsea!"

Galatasaray to host  Chelsea at Turk Telekom Arena on Wednesday....

 The match between two teams will kick off at 21:45 local time in Turkey. 

The two teams will play for the third time with each other. The previous matches were in UEFA Champions League 

1999-2000 season, where both matches resulted in an English victory.

Today at the press conference Wesley Sneijder said they are ready for Chelsea !

"Mourinho knows us well and that is an advantage but the same applies for us, we know Mourinho very well, perhaps better than the Chelsea players know us.

"Chelsea is a great side, everybody has to accept that, but if we show the same spirit we did against Juventus, we could achieve another big result."

Galatasaray's coach Mancini also answered  the questions  at the press conference today....

He said, he expects Drogba and Sneijder to give their full energy in this match against Chelsea...

"Didier was an important man and an important player for Chelsea,

Wesley won the Champions League under Mourinho. I think they have a good relationship but tomorrow for 90 minutes I think they will be enemies.

"After that they can go and have dinner together. But for 90 minutes I think they will play not 100 per cent, but more because we need Wesley and Didier to play very well tomorrow."

On the other hand Chelsea coach Mourinho  was angry about the question .....

Insated of asking him questions about  the Galatasaray match , English media asked him about his leaked comment to media !

He called it, disgrace of reporting ....

After that, he went on to talk about the match....

Mourinho said, Galatasaray still good team under Mancini and they have experienced players like Drogba and Sneijder.

He said, they have a chance to win the Champions League Trophy , if they can get past Galatasaray.

12th man will be huge advantage for Galatasaray  in Turk Telecom Arena on Wednesday !

If Drogba and Sneijder plays good, Galatasaray could upset Chelsea in Istanbul.

But, Galatasaray has to play like a team and not let down in 90 minutes ..

TSL Wrap : Galatasaray captures second place ,Fenerbahce stall

Galatasaray beat Besiktas 1-0 to move above Besiktas into second in the Turkish Super League

Selcuk Inan's 38th-minute penalty proved the difference between the two sides and means Roberto Mancini's men now occupy the all-important second UEFA Champions League qualifying berth.

In extending their unbeaten league run to 11 matches, Galatasaray climbed two points above Besiktas, but remain four points behind Fenerbahce, who needed a late equaliser to earn a 1-1 draw at Elazigspor.

Elazig went in front very last minutes of the half-time through Onur Ayik and Fenerbahce looked set for a third defeat in four when Cristian Baroni was sent off just before the hour mark.

Fenerbahce was the better side in the first half, they could not cash in at least four chances by Baroni, Emenike and Alper !

That was the huge difference...

Another problem for Fener was they were missing a leader in their midfield !

Yes, referee Gokcek, made a very bad call but, they should have scored at least three goals until the red card.

However, Mehmet Topal struck seven minutes from time to rescue a valuable point for the leaders.

Fourth-placed Sivasspor suffered a 6-2 thrashing at the hands of Kasimpasa, who moved up to sixth, three points behind their opponents.

First-half goals from Ezequiel Scarione, Sanharib Malki and Ryan Babel put Kasimpasa in control and Tabare Viudez made it four just after the break.

Sivas replied through Hakan Arslan and Aatif Chahechouhe, either side of Tunay Torun's strike, before Andre Castro's goal and the dismissal of Manuel da Costa capped a miserable day for Sivasspor.

At the bottom of the table, Kayseri Erciyesspor claimed a second successive win with a 2-1 home victory over Karabukspor.

Goals from Murat Yildirim and Yasin Oztekin put the home side in control and the hosts held on to move within four points of safety despite Murat Akca scoring to set up a nervy final 15 minutes.

They had to come from behind, Mijailovic giving the visitors the lead before second-half goals from Adrian Mierzejewski and Marc Janko turned things around.

Bursaspor won 2-0 against struggling Rizespor, while Gaziantepspor and Akhisar Belediyespor drew 1-1.

Elsewhere, two Bogdan Stancu goals saw Genclerbirligi come from two down to earn a point in a 2-2 draw with Konyaspor, while the game between Antalyaspor and Eskisehirspor finished goalless.