Sivas visits Fener for game of the weekend
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Hürriyet Daily News
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Şubat 28, 2009 00:00
ISTANBUL - High-flying underdog Sivasspor meets underachieving giant Fenerbahçe, in what may be a decider in the latter’s fate in the Turkcell Super League.
The big game of the league’s match day 22 at Istanbul’s Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium will see whether Sivasspor can continue its successful form, and if Fenerbahçe can improve on its dismal performances in recent games.
Unbeaten in the last 11 games, Sivasspor has already proved a serious contender but what made people actually believe that the team can make it this year is the central Anatolian side’s performances in big games. Coach Bülent Uygun’s boys beat Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe in the games played at its own stadium, and managed to escape with valuable draws at Trabzonspor and Beşiktaş.
With eight points from a possible 12, Sivasspor proved that it is doing great in big games. Considering Fenerbahçe got seven, Galatasaray had six, while Trabzonspor could only get three and Beşiktaş collected two in games against each other, Sivasspor’s achievement becomes precious.
A win at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium, where it has yet to win a game, will be enough to name Sivasspor the most serious contender of the five-strong title race.
For Fenerbahçe, this is a chance to refresh its bid for the title.
Coach Luis Aragones’s side made a dismal start to 2009 and could only manage one win in its last five games. After last weekend’s 1-0 loss at the hands of Gençlerbirliği, Fenerbahçe was left further behind the league leader. In order to close the eight-point gap with Sivasspor, the Yellow Canaries will have to win.
Of course, Galatasaray, Beşiktaş and probably Trabzonspor will cheer for their fierce rivals’ to win this time, because if Sivasspor is tackled, all teams will be that much closer to the top.
But if Sivas wins again, it will tough to run them down from here on. A win at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium will make sure Sivasspor has a decent chance. Considering Beşiktaş and Galatasaray lost, while Trabzonspor had to settle for a draw at Fenerbahçe’s home ground, the difficulty of Sivas’s job is more obvious.
Strangely, this will be the first of two meetings between the two teams in four days. Sivasspor will not leave Istanbul after the Fenerbahçe game, and Wednesday, the two teams will play for the first leg game of the Fortis Turkish Cup semifinal.
Saturday’s game kicks off at 8 p.m.
Unbeaten in the last 11 games, Sivasspor has already proved a serious contender but what made people actually believe that the team can make it this year is the central Anatolian side’s performances in big games. Coach Bülent Uygun’s boys beat Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe in the games played at its own stadium, and managed to escape with valuable draws at Trabzonspor and Beşiktaş.
With eight points from a possible 12, Sivasspor proved that it is doing great in big games. Considering Fenerbahçe got seven, Galatasaray had six, while Trabzonspor could only get three and Beşiktaş collected two in games against each other, Sivasspor’s achievement becomes precious.
A win at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium, where it has yet to win a game, will be enough to name Sivasspor the most serious contender of the five-strong title race.
For Fenerbahçe, this is a chance to refresh its bid for the title.
Coach Luis Aragones’s side made a dismal start to 2009 and could only manage one win in its last five games. After last weekend’s 1-0 loss at the hands of Gençlerbirliği, Fenerbahçe was left further behind the league leader. In order to close the eight-point gap with Sivasspor, the Yellow Canaries will have to win.
Of course, Galatasaray, Beşiktaş and probably Trabzonspor will cheer for their fierce rivals’ to win this time, because if Sivasspor is tackled, all teams will be that much closer to the top.
But if Sivas wins again, it will tough to run them down from here on. A win at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium will make sure Sivasspor has a decent chance. Considering Beşiktaş and Galatasaray lost, while Trabzonspor had to settle for a draw at Fenerbahçe’s home ground, the difficulty of Sivas’s job is more obvious.
Strangely, this will be the first of two meetings between the two teams in four days. Sivasspor will not leave Istanbul after the Fenerbahçe game, and Wednesday, the two teams will play for the first leg game of the Fortis Turkish Cup semifinal.
Saturday’s game kicks off at 8 p.m.