Beşiktaş hopes to continue goal spree against Cuper’s Orduspor

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

Beşiktaş players are celebrating a goal during the team’s 3-1 victory over Akhisar in the Super League. Beşiktaş leads the division in number of goals scored. AA photo

Beşiktaş hopes to continue its free-scoring form against Orduspor in the Spor Toto Super League on Dec. 1.

After making an erratic start to the Super League campaign, the Black Eagles have recently sustained an unbeaten run of six matches. Furthermore, Beşiktaş continued its streak in style as the team has scored at least three goals in each of its last five league matches. Beşiktaş is now fourth with 22 points, trailing leader Galatasaray at 25 points as well as Fenerbahçe and Medical Park Antalyaspor, who both have 23 points. However, the Eagles are leading the division in most goals scored, with 30 goals sent into the net. But the team let 20 goals sneak past them, the worst defensive record out of any team in the top half of the division.

Beşiktaş allowed two goals by Ankaragücü, a second-tier side, to get by in a 3-2 win in the Ziraat Turkish Cup. “We need to concentrate better in games,” coach Samet Aybaba said. “We should not allow two goals and put the game in a dire condition.”

This time Beşiktaş’s good run will be tested against Ordu, who has one of the most solid defensive lines in the league, although it has suffered a recent slip-up in form.

Coached by Hector Cuper, the Black Sea outfit had a great start to the season and briefly held the top spot after handing Galatasaray its first defeat. It has now slipped to as low as 11th.

Poor run

In the following seven matches after the 2-0 Galatasaray victory, the team only had one win.

“Beşiktaş is a big team and has been playing well recently,” coach Cuper said. “But we want to win this game and have the quality to beat them too. We want to start another good run as in the early season with a win.”

However, Ordu is one of the strongest teams at home, with four wins and one draw in six matches.
It’s good news for Cuper’s team that Beşiktaş will be without injured Portuguese playmaker Manuel Fernandes, who has arguably been the Super League’s top performer so far this season.
Also on Dec. 1, Akhisar visits Bursaspor and two relegation-battlers, Kardemir Karabükspor and Sanica Boru Elazığspor meet.

On Dec. 2, Fenerbahçe visits Kayserispor, who recently recorded a jump in form with the arrival of Robert Prosinecki. The former Real Madrid and Barcelona ace has arrived in Kayseri last month to start his first coaching post outside Croatia. After two defeats, Kayserispor recorded wins over troubled Karabükspor and Elazığspor to jump out of the relegation zone. Still, Kayserispor does not look out of the relegation battle yet.

Antalyaspor, who failed to win in three matches after its league-high six match winning streak was broken by Beşiktaş, meets Mersin İdman Yurdu in a Mediterranean derby, while Istanbul BB hosts Sivasspor and Eskişehirspor takes on Kasımpaşa also on Dec. 2.