Fenerbahçe eyes victory at Başakşehir

ISTANBUL

Fenerbahçe wants to maintain its good start to the Spor Toto Super League season when it visits city rival Başakşehir on Aug. 24.

Defending champion Galatasaray, which suffered a 2-0 loss at Denizlispor in its campaign opener, will play its first home game of the season when it hosts Konyaspor on Aug. 25.

The fans, however, seem to be more curious about the transfer saga of Colombian star Radamel Falcao than the club’s performances on pitch. With too much expectation on the supporters’ front, the club administration may have a fans mutiny in its hands if it fails to close a deal with the French club Monaco before the transfer season ends on Sept. 2.

Beşiktaş, which also lost last week, was to play Göztepe at home late on Aug. 23.

In a week its rivals faltered, Fenerbahçe, which parted ways with 15 players and signed nine new names after having one of its worst seasons of its league history last season, opened its campaign with a 5-0 home win over newcomer Gazişehir on Aug. 19, grabbing the top spot in standings.

The team got the early lead with Nigerian winger Victor Moses’ penalty goal in the sixth minute.

Gazişehir goalkeeper Günay Güvenç saved Moses’ second penalty shot awarded seven minutes after the first.

New signing Vedat Muriqi doubled his team’s lead after he found the net with a powerful shot in the 17th minute of the match.

The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in the 24th minute handed the Istanbul team a third penalty kick, which was successfully converted by veteran midfielder Emre Belözoğlu, who is back at Fenerbahçe after spending four seasons at Başakşehir.

Moroccan wing-back Nabil Dirar scored his team’s fourth goal in the 74th minute, while 19-year-old midfielder Ferdi Kadıoğlu scored the first Fenerbahçe goal of his career in the 88th minute to declare the result.

Elsewhere in Week 2 games in the Spor Toto Super League on Aug. 24, Alanyaspor, another winner in the first week, takes on Kasımpaşa at home and Ankaragücü and Kayserispor clash in the capital.

In Aug. 25 games, Rizespor entertains Sivasspor, Trabzonspor meets its fans in a home game against Maltyaspor, and Denizlispor, buoyed by last week’s victory in its first game in the top flight in a decade, travels to Antalyaspor.

Two newcomers that both lost their first games, Gazişehir and Gençlerbirliği, clash in Gaziantep in the final game of Week 2 on Aug. 26.