Send-Off Series : USA v Turkey

Turkish National team after beating Honduras in Washington  2-0 , they will take on

#USMNT, United States National team  on Sunday at Red Bull Stadium in New Jersey at 2:00 PM.

Turkey showed some mussels  in the second half of the match against Honduras...

Fatih Terim  made a good decision to play Mevlut Erdinc and  Caner Erkin in the second half !

After slow start in the first half , Turkish National team controlled  the  match in the second half ....

Goals from Mevlut Erdinc and Caner Erkin gave Turkey 2-0 win against Honduras in RFK stadium.

USA VS TURKEY ! #USAvTURKEY

This match should be good one....

This is USA's second send off match and Klinsmann will put out his best men out there...

Last time USA met Turkey was in 2010 in Philadelphia ,USA won that match 2-1

I think, Fatih Terim will pretty much keep the lineup that he played in the second half  against Honduras..

He might inject ,Onur Kivrak in goal and Nuri Sahin and Selcuk Inan there too.

Arda Turan will not be there......

TURKISH NATIONAL TEAM COACH FATIH TERIM  IN RFK STADIUM

Terim, would want to win this match....

Ever Since he took over the team , 10 matches he won 9 of them and loss one !

Very physical USA National team could cause problems for  Turkish defense...

On the other hand, US defense, has to be careful with side attacks from Turkey.

We will see two teams playing diamond style in the middle of the filed on Sunday !

Who ever is better in that, will win the match...

IT will be very good test for USA before the World Cup......

As far as  Turkey, well ,they missed out on going  to the World Cup !

And there is many reasons for that ......

Now, Fatih Terim says,

He is developing new generation for the future......

We will see that new generation mixed in with few old ones,against USA on Sunday !

Both teams have really good keepers...

It should be really good atmosphere on Sunday afternoon in Red Bull Arena in New Jersey..

Match will start at 2: 00 PM,ET 

And, it will be packed house there...

Turkish National Team Arrives in USA

Turkish National Team came to Washington early our of Monday morning  from Ireland.

Fatih Terim's  boys practiced in the DC United training facilities n Monday night  .

They will train there today on wednesday they would hold their practice at RFK stadium.

On Monday, American soccer pioneer Hicabi "Turk"  Emekli  watched  the first practice along with his son John Emekli.

Who is Hicabi Emekli ? 

After the practice "Turk " met with Fatih Terim ...

Hicabi Emekli came to United States back in 1951 and played for Genclerbirligi....

Turkish National team will face Honduras on Thursday in RFK stadium...

After the match  ,Turkish National Team will travel to New Jersey and train at Red Bull's training center before the most important match ...

Turkey will face #USMNT United States National team on Sunday ,June 1th ...

Friday and Saturday they would hold practice in New Jersey....

Also on Saturday, both coaches #USMNT coach Klinsmann and  #Turkey's  Fatih Terim will hold press conferences at the Red Bull Arena .

THis will be huge test for #USMNT before the World Cup .....

Fatih Terim is trying to rebuild the team with young players ...

Arda Turan  is injured and probably wont play ...

Burak Yilmaz and Keeper Volkan Demirel is not with the team.

We should see very young and hungry Turkey team on Sunday against #USMNT !

Last time, back in 2010 , #USMNT beat  #Turkey 2-1 in Philadelphia ....

It should be packed house in Red Bull's Arena on  Sunday ...

I will be there .  

Turkish National Team Visit Soma

The Turkish National football team has paid their respects to the 301 victims of the disaster mine fire in Soma .

The national team visited  the town on Monday in a show of solidarity, and prayed at the miners' graves in Soma, Turkey . 

After they payed their respect , they flew back to Istanbul to train .

Turkish National team play two friedly matches in Europe before they headed to United States .

Turkish National team will arrive in DC Washington on May 26 , 2014 and will train in DC United's training facilities .

They will face Honduras on May 29th in Washington , DC. 

After the match , They will travel to New Jersey on same night . 

In New Jersey, Turkish National team will train in New York Red Bulls training facilities on Friday and Saturday .

On June1st , Sunday , Turkish National team will face #USMNT in  Red Bulls Arena . This match should be very good match .

USA faced Turkey In a send- off match back in 2010 in Phidelphia and USA won that match 2-1 ! 

Turkish Super Lig Wrap : Tributes to #Soma Disaster !

It has been very sad  last sixty days for Turks and Turks around the World !

Like my self, a lot of people were sadden  from the bad news from #Soma ,Turkey 

IT was Disaster !

Over 300 Coal Mine  workers died .......

So,  with this Tragedy cloud over, Turkish Super Lig's last weekend  started ... 

In every match, in Turkey,  there were tribute to #Soma coal mine victims ....

  

Galatasaray after beating Erciyes 2-1, earned a direct ticket to Champions League ..

On the other hand , Besiktas draw with Gencler and they will  play in  the Champions League 

Qualifying round !

Trabzonspor finished in fourth place after  Sivas loss at Karabuk  !

Sivas finished  fifth in the standings with Roberto Carlos ...

Trabzon will start Europa League Playoffs next  season.

Sivas has to start in the qualifying round  !

Eskisehir is the other team who will represent Turkey in the Europa League next season as

Turkish Cup finalist ,since Galatasaray plays in the Champions League ...

After, Kayseri ,Antalya  third team who said good bye to league was Elazig !

Newcomers  for  next season.....

Mersin,  Istanbul BB ,  Balikesir  .....

Good luck to all three in the next season.

Leading goal scorer  in the Turkish Super Lig  was  Sivasspor's Aatif Chahechouhe

He scored 17 goals !

Burak YIlmaz was second with 16 goals .....

One good note......

 First Turkish born player  who won a  league title in Spain,  is Arda Turan !

I am very glad for Arda  Turan...

Congrats to Arda Turan ...

Turkish Super Lig Wrap : Fenerbahce Claimed their Title Trophy

It was a weekend that Fenerbahce the Champions of  the 2013-2014 season claimed their title trophy in front of their fans in Kadikoy .

Fenerbahce trashed Karabuk in their last home match in Sukru Saracoglu stadium in Kadikoy  4-0 !

Karabuk's hopes for Europa League  were dashed by Fenerbahce on Friday night ...

The Champions of Turkey , Fenerbahce celebrated the title  in the stadium with trophy ceremony in the stadium and after in the streets of Kadikoy !

While Fenerbahce President Aziz Yildirim  was making his speech, some Fenerbahce fans started  chant "Alex De Souza " 

That got,  Aziz Yildirim very mad on the stage.....

He said ,   "We are trying to celebrate the championship and look what you guys are doing !"

"I am the one who brought  Alex to Fenerbahce .... I am  the one who decided to send Alex  because he would not be useful for Fenerbahce " 

Speaking to  the "Young Fenerbahce Fans " ( Genc Fenerbahceliler ) he said, I will not allow you to this stadium next season ! "

Aziz Yildirim was bitter and very upset at the end of his speech....

He thanked all the players  and  Ersun Yanal and his assistants for winning the 19th title .

Turkish FA (TFF ) President Yildirim Demiroren represented the title trophy to Aziz Yildirim and Fenerbahce team.

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

DOWN TO WIRE.......

YES ,as I predicted  before , battle for second place , fourth place and relegation scare

Will go down to the wire ! 

This coming saturday , we will find out who will finish second and who will be the last team to relegate

Elazig needs miracles to stay in the Turkish Super League after losing against Besiktas this past weekend !

On the other hand,  Gaziantepspor needs to at least get a draw in Bursa away match.....

Elazig travels to Rize  to play Rizespor !

Winning the match is not enough    for Elazig.....

Who will finish second ?

Galatasaray or Besiktas ?

Well. after winning the Turkish Cup, Galatasaray   trashed Trabzonspor in Trabzon with four goals !

That jeopardized  Trabzon's fourth place hopes but gave Galatasaray advantage against Besiktas

On the other Besiktas won their must win match in Elazig...

There is still one point gap between them!

Saturday's matches will decide , who will finish in second place ...

Both teams are home......

Galatasaray host Erciyes  and Besiktas will face Genclerbirligi  !

It should be very good SATURDAY ......

On  Sunday, the battle  will be for fourth and fifth place...

Sivas will be in Karabuk , Trabzon in Antalya and  Kasimpasa in Akhisar(Manisa ) 

Sivas is ahead of them with 53 points while Trabzon with 50, Kasimpasa 48 and Karabuk 47 !

So,  on Saturday and Sunday, we will witness the  thrill of victory and Agony of  defeat !

 

Turkish Cup Belongs to Galatasaray !

Galatasaray won the Turkish Ziraat Cup thanks to Wesley Sneijder .....

Wesley Sneijder scored the only goal in the second half of the  match and

Galatasaray beat Eskisehirspor  1-0 !

This was Galatasaray's 15th Turkish Cup win  in twenty  tries ......

Last time time they won the Turkish Cup,  it was nine years ago .

Wesley Sneijder was  the most valuable player of the Turkish Cup Final match ....

 Under Roberto Mancini,  who took the team at 9th place in the league from Fatih Terim,

Won their first Cup of the season  after falling behind the title race  !

But, as Mancini says , he took the club at  9th place and now trying to finish second  so they

could go directly to Champions League .

Besiktas and Galatasaray are in  neck and neck race for the second place .

Photos credits : Getty Images



Drogba did not play but he shared the teammates and his team's accomplishment on twitter and instagram

Turkish Cup Final match played in Konya,Turkey ....

After the match, Turkish FA official presented the  Ziraat Turkish Cup to Galatasaray team.

So, under stress Galatasaray team and mostly Mancini with winning the Turkish Cup,

Shutup his naysayers in  Galatasaray community...

Somehow ,some Galatasaray fans and  some Galatasaray writers are not happy with Mancini !

Last week, Mancini said, I took this team ,when Galatasaray was in 9th place.....

With winning the Turkish Cup, Mancini eased the critics......

Turkish Cup Final : Galatasaray vs Eskisehir

 Galatasaray coach  Roberto Mancini and Eskisehirspor coach Ertugrul Saglam  

Ziraat Turkish Cup match Final will take place in Konya ,Turkey ....

Match will start at 20: 00 Local Turkey time (13:00 ET ) 

Galatasaray will miss Drogba while Muslera will be in goal.....

On the other hand, Eskisehirspor who won the Turkish Cup only one time in their history

 will be without  Ozgur Cek .

Galatasaray  won  the Turkish Cup 14 times and played in final match 19 times !

Eskisehirspor and Galatasaray will meet first time in the Turkish Cup match ....

If Galatasaray win the match it will  Mancini's first Cup in Turkey .....

On the other hand , Ertugrul Saglam, who coaches Eskisehirspor will be the coach who will  win the Cup for Eskisehir after 43 years !

Ertugrul Saglam former Turkish National team player and  Besiktas player  won the Turkish Super League title with Bursaspor back in 2010 season.

Good luck to both teams and both coaches.